Distraction osteogenesis for management of obstructive sleep apnoea in temporomandibular joint ankylosis patients before the release of joint.

AIM: To evaluate the effects of distraction osteogenesis in management of obstructive sleep apnoea patients secondary to temporomandibular joints ankylosis.

METHODS

Fifteen patients were included in study. Preoperatively the patients were worked up for polysomnography and CT scans. Only those patients with Apnoea-hypopnoea index >15 events/h denoting moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea were included in the study. Distraction osteogenesis was followed with 5 days latency period in adult patients and 0 days for children. Rate of distraction was 1 mm/day for adults and 2 mm/day for children till the mandibular incisors were in reverse overjet. After 3 months post distraction assessment was done using polysomnography and CT scan. TMJ ankylosis was released by doing gap arthroplasty after distraction osteogenesis.

RESULTS

Post distraction improvement was seen in clinical features of OSA like daytime sleepiness and snoring. Epworth sleepiness scale improved from a mean of 10.25 to 2.25. Polysomnographic analysis also showed improvement in all cases with apnoea-hypopnoea index from 57.03 to 6.67 per hour. Lowest oxygen saturation improved from 64.47% to 81.20% and average minimum oxygen saturation improved from 92.17% to 98.19%. Body mass index improved from a mean of 18.26 to 21.39 kg/m2.

CONCLUSION

Distraction osteogenesis is a stable and beneficial treatment option for temporomandibular joint ankylosis patients with obstructive sleep apnoea.