Predictors of response to sleep apnea surgery addressing the lateral pharyngeal wall collapse

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the predictive factors for surgical success in sleep apnea surgical techniques addressing the lateral pharyngeal wall.

Materials and methods: This is a retrospective review of consecutive cases treated by functional expansion pharyngoplasty for OSA. Collected data included patients demographics, ENT physical examination and somnographic data. Furthermore inter pterygoid distance was assessed by CT scans. To determine predictors of surgical success, physical examination, CT findings, polysomnographic and demographic data were compared between the success and failure group.

Results: Fifty two patients were enrolled. The mean AHI decreased significantly from 44.3 to 17 (p = 0.001). A total of 33 patients (63.5%) met the surgical success criteria. An inter pterygoid distance longer than 34 mm was the only significant predictor of success.

Conclusions: Inter pterygoid distance seems to be a promising parameter associated with the surgical outcomes that should be further studied to be validated as predictor of success.

Keywords: Expansion pharyngoplasty; Lateral pharyngoplasty; Obstructive sleep apnea; Outcome; Palatopharyngeus muscle; Pterygoid hamulus.