Assessment of the pharyngeal airway space after mandibular setback surgery.

PURPOSE: This retrospective study evaluated the change in pharyngeal airway space associated with surgical mandibular setback.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Lateral cephalograms of 14 adult patients taken preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and at long-term follow-up were traced, and the width of the pharyngeal airway space and the pharyngeal airway space area were calculated and compared.

RESULTS

At long-term follow-up, the mean amount of mandibular setback was 9.7 mm. The mean reduction in the distance from the tongue base to the posterior pharyngeal wall was 4.77 mm (28% decrease). The mean reduction in pharyngeal airway space area was 1.52 cm2, which corresponded to a 12.8% reduction. There was a strong correlation between the amount of mandibular setback and the decrease in pharyngeal airway space area.

CONCLUSION

Mandibular setback surgery causes a long-term decrease in pharyngeal airway space area. In patients who have other risk factors, for example, overweight, short necks, or large tongues, a mandibular setback procedure could possibly predispose to the development of sleep apnea syndrome.