Dynamic Upper Airway Study in Snoring Subjects Using Electron Beam Tomography / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The upper airway caliber shows rhythmic changes according to the respiratory cycle. The dynamic imaging technique is needed to demonstrate nonfixed oropharyngeal obstruction in patients with snoring and/or obstructive sleep apnea. This study was designed with the purpose to determine the level, extent, and dynamics of the oropharyngeal closure from the dynamic view of the oropharynx and to estimate the usefulness of electron beam tomography (EBT) in the snoring and/or obstructive sleep apnea patients. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The upper airway was scanned in 18 patients with snoring by using EBT while awake, asleep, pre and post UPPP (six patients), and pre and post oral appliance (seven patients) during at least two full respiratory cycles. RESULTS: The oropharyngeal stenosis and collapsibility were increased during sleep, especially in the minimum cross sectional area level. In most cases, the sites of stenosis of wakefulness and sleep did not coincide. The degree of stenosis as well as collapsibility of the oropharynx were reduced after UPPP and oral appliance. CONCLUSION: The dynamic study during sleep is needed to evaluate sleep induced airway disease. EBT has the potential to provide information quickly and non-invasively on upper airway dynamics and has certain definite advantages over conventional studies.