Abstract
Objectives:
Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) has been described as an option for treating obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), with variable success rates. The main purpose of this study is to correlate UPPP success to craniofacial bony structure and orofacial muscle function.
Methods:
Prospective longitudinal study in a tertiary clinical center. Fifty-four patients who underwent UPPP in the last 7 years were followed, and UPPP succeeded or failed based on the results of pre-operative and post-operative polysomnography. Clinical variables’ body mass index (BMI), age, and pre-operative apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)’s cephalometric measurements (craniofacial region and hyoid bone position), and muscle function variables (clinical protocol and tongue strength measures) were evaluated and compared between the groups (failure or success after UPPP).
Results:
The variables BMI, pre-operative AHI, and cephalometric measurements showed no influence on surgical success. The clinical muscle protocol was also similar between groups. However, the muscle strength of the anterior portion of the tongue was significantly greater in the group that showed surgical success compared to those with surgical failure. This movement is primarily performed by genioglossus muscle.
Conclusions:
OSAS is a multifactorial disease, and diagnostic symptom assessments should be individualized. In addition, special attention should be given to functional muscle alterations of the airways, because they might influence the evolution of the disease.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.