OSA as a Consideration in Upper Jaw Surgery

Segmental LeFort I osteotomy is useful for the management of transverse and vertical maxillary discrepancies. However, some patients in need of orthognathic surgery may also have risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in which clinicians must be conscious about how surgery will affect the soft palate, the most commonly involved area of obstruction (77.9%).1 Furthermore, in patients who need palatal expansion and maxillary advancement for the purpose of increasing airway volume and treating OSA, it is important to consider whether the segmental LeFort I osteotomy will provide similar advancement of the palate compared to the single-piece LeFort.
Source: Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - Category: ENT & OMF Authors: Source Type: research