Multislice computed tomography assessment of airway patency changes in the supine position following mandibular setback surgery for mandibular prognathism: A prospective 1-year follow-up study

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to perform a three-dimensional analysis on the pharyngeal airway of supine patients who have undergone mandibular setback surgery, using multislice computed tomography (MSCT). We also measured the respiratory disturbance index pre- and post-surgery, using a portable sleep monitor. Materials and Methods: The subjects included two males and nine females who were diagnosed with mandibular prognathism at Hiroshima University Hospital and were scheduled to undergo the bilateral sagittal split osteotomy. Using a CT scanner, baseline MSCT images were obtained from the subjects before surgery for morphological analysis, and then the two further scans were obtained after mandibular setback surgery. All patients were provided with at-hoeme sleep monitor to use it both at baseline and approximately 1 year after surgery. Results: Middle and epiglottis pharyngeal space and cross-sectional area were significantly decreased immediately after setback surgery, but did not change further over the 1-year period. Mandibular setback was not associated with the development of sleep breathing disorder (SBD) during the 1-year follow-up period. Conclusion: We found no evidence that the reduction in the pharyngeal airway space immediately after mandibular setback surgery recovered significantly during the follow-up period, although mandibular setback was not associated with development of SBD.