Study on the Short-Time Remolding of Upper Airway After Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.

OBJECTIVE

To verify the short-time remolding of upper airway in patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep disordered breathing after Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP).

METHODS

Twenty-one male adult patients aged 27 to 52 years followed up ranged from preoperation to 6 months after the operation. Lateral cephalometric radiographs (conventional and when pronouncing "i") were obtained 2 weeks preoperatively, 3 days postoperatively, and 1, 2, 3, 6 months after the surgery. The anterolateral diameters of different levels of upper airway and parameters of hyoid position of the patients were then measured. SAS 8.02 was used to analyze the differences by time.

RESULTS

The study illustrated that the UPPP major affected the velopharyngeal and glossopharyngeal areas: parameters wane (P <0.05). On the other hand, UPPP leaded to the decline and retreat of hyoid. Most of the parameters remained metabolic. The nasopharynx kept statical (P >0.05) while the velopharyngeal parameters were increasing (P <0.05). The glossopharyngeal parameters increased in the first month after UPPP (P <0.05), while hypopharyngeal parameters underwent decline since 2 months after UPPP (P <0.05). The hyoid obtained decline and retreat (P <0.05) overall, while it endured a short-time climb in the first month after UPPP (P <0.05).

CONCLUSION

Short-time upper airway remolding after UPPP existed.