MORPHOLOGY OF THE VISCEROCRANIUM IN OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP-APNEA SYNDROME - CEPHALOMETRIC EVALUATION OF 400 PATIENTS

The aim of this study was the cephalometric evaluation of patients wit h obstructive sleep apnoea in order to see whether certain craniofacia l characteristics exist. Additional to known skeletal facial parameter s cephalometric analysis has been used to establish pharyngeal dimensi ons. Surprisingly, many patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (nearly 40%) showed certain craniofacial characteristics which apparently pre dispose to pharyngeal obstruction and to obstructive sleep apnoea. Mor e than one third of 400 patients prove to have pharyngeal narrowing co mbined with more or less distinct maxillary and mandibular deficiency. Cephalometric evaluation helps to identify sleep apnoea patients, in whom maxillomandibular advancement surgery might be effective in the t reatment of obstructive sleep apnoea. According to our results, an ind ication for surgical treatment by maxillomandibular advancement exists in patients with maxillary and especially mandibular deficiency combi ned with pharyngeal narrowing.