Three-dimensional volumetric changes in the upper airway after maxillomandibular advancement in obstructive sleep apnoea patients and the impact on quality of life

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a sleep-related breathing disorder, characterized by repetitive airway obstructions, causing disruptive snoring and daytime sleepiness. Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA), which enlarges the upper airway, is a therapeutic surgical approach. However, no study has performed an upper airway sub-region analysis using validated three-dimensional (3D) anatomical and technical limits on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Hence, this prospective, observational trial was performed to evaluate 3D volumetric changes in the upper airway according to validated 3D cephalometric landmarks, before and after MMA, for all patients with a polysomnography diagnosis of OSA (apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) ≥5). The secondary objective was to evaluate the impact of MMA on the AHI and in a subjective manner with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and OSA questionnaire. Eleven consecutive OSA patients were included. A significant volume increase in the oropharynx (P = 0.002) and hypopharynx (P = 0.02) was observed, in contrast to a non-significant volume reduction in the nasopharynx (P > 0.05). The median AHI (P = 0.03) and ESS score (P = 0.004) decreased significantly as a result of surgery. In conclusion, MMA significantly enlarges the airway volume of the oropharynx and hypopharynx and is associated with improved quality of life.