1 Introduction The inferior turbinate is the largest of the three paired turbinates and plays a large role in humidifying and filtering air, as well as directing airflow through the nose. The inferior turbinate consists of the turbinate bone covered…
1 Introduction Sleep-disordered breathing and snoring are exceedingly common presentations to physicians. In general, the etiology is highly variable from base of tongue obstruction, laryngomalacia, retrognathia, or weak pharyngeal muscle tone, among others. These etiologies can all be exacerbated by…
1 Introduction Difficulty breathing through the nose is one of the most frequent complaints presented to an otolaryngologist. Nasal septal deviation and turbinate hypertrophy are easily identified as areas of anatomic obstruction. One area that can be overlooked as an…
1 Introduction The nasal valve is defined as the flow-limiting segment of the nasal airway, located at the triangular aperture between the upper lateral cartilage and the septum. The angle formed by these two structures ranges from 10 to 15…
1 Nasal Obstruction and Sleep-Disordered Breathing The link between nasal airway obstruction (NAO) and restless sleep has been known since antiquity: Hippocrates reported an association between poor sleep and nasal polyposis. Case reports and series as early as the 1890s…
Effective surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) must be designed to eliminate collapsible soft tissue in the upper airway without interfering with normal function. Creation of a noncollapsible airspace and reduction of airway resistance enable maintenance of adequate…
1 Introduction It is widely accepted that particular mouth and tongue positions affect patency of the upper airway. Specifically, mouth opening is believed to decrease the cross-sectional area, whereas tongue protrusion is believed to increase the dimensions of the upper…
Consideration of the complex relationship between sites of airway obstruction is paramount to choosing the correct surgical approach to treatment. Selecting patients who are likely to respond to surgery necessitates preoperative evaluation of individual patient anatomy. Lingual tonsil hypertrophy (LTH)…
1 Introduction Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), upper airway resistance syndrome, and snoring are collectively referred to as sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs). SRBD involve repeated partial or complete obstructions of the upper airway during sleep, and the etiology is multifactorial…
1 Goals and Considerations Multiple mechanisms underlie upper airway obstruction in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Although a small upper airway size is fundamental to OSA, muscle tone, tissue factors, lung volume, loop gain, and arousal threshold are important additional determinants.…