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. 2021 May 4:2021:5585629.
doi: 10.1155/2021/5585629. eCollection 2021.

Importance in the Occurrence Distribution of Minimum Oropharyngeal Cross-Sectional Area in the Different Skeletal Patterns Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

Ying-Sheng Chen  1 , Szu-Ting Chou  2   3 , Jung-Hsuan Cheng  2 , Shis-Chieh Chen  2 , Chin-Yun Pan  2 , Yu-Chuan Tseng  2   3
Affiliations

Importance in the Occurrence Distribution of Minimum Oropharyngeal Cross-Sectional Area in the Different Skeletal Patterns Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

Ying-Sheng Chen et al. Biomed Res Int. .

Abstract

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition involving repetitive partial or complete collapse of the pharyngeal airway, especially in patient with mandibular hypoplasia. The present study investigated the differences between the volume of the oropharyngeal airway and the minimum axial area in three skeletal patterns through the use of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT).

Materials and methods: CBCT scans of 147 patients were collected to measure the upper oropharyngeal airway volume (UOV), lower oropharyngeal airway volume (LOV), upper oropharyngeal airway area (UOA), minimum upper oropharyngeal airway area (MUOA), lower oropharyngeal airway area (LOA), minimum lower oropharyngeal airway area (MLOA), anatomical structures (orbitale, Or; porion, Po; pogonion, Pog; hyoid, H; second cervical vertebra, C2; fourth cervical vertebra, C4), and relevant angles. Statistical analysis was performed using analysis of variance and Pearson's test.

Results: Compared with patients in Class II, those in Class III and Class I exhibited a significantly anterior position of H and Pog. The vertical positions of H and Pog revealed no significant difference between the three skeletal patterns. Patients in skeletal Class III exhibited significantly larger oropharyngeal area (UOA, MUOA, LOA, MLOA) and oropharyngeal airway (UOV and LOV) than those in skeletal Class II did. The horizontal position of Pog had a moderately significant correlation with UOA (r = 0.471) and MUOA (r = 0.455).

Conclusion: Patients in skeletal Class II had significantly smaller oropharyngeal airway areas and volumes than those in Class III did. The minimum oropharyngeal cross-sectional area had a 67% probability of occurrence in the upper oropharyngeal airway among patients in Class I and Class II and a 50% probability of occurrence among patients in Class III.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Landmarks: sella (S), nasion (N), A point (A), B point (B), pogonion (Pog), hyoid bone (H), second cervical vertebra (C2), and fourth cervical vertebra (C4). X-axis (white line): constructed by drawing a line through nasion 7° up from SN line. Y-axis (white line): a line through sella (S) perpendicular to the X-axis. The measured angles: brown color, ANB angle; green color, (1) Or–Po–Pog angle, (2) Or–Po–H angle, (3) Or–Po–C2 angle; and yellow color, (4) Po-C2-Pog angle, (5) Po-C2-H angle, (6) Po–C2–C4 angle.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Landmarks: posterior nasal spine (PNS), uvula (U), epiglottis (E). The measured pharyngeal airway volume: (1) upper oropharyngeal airway volume: UOV; (2) lower oropharyngeal airway volume: LOV.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) In the 3D image, the minimum cross-sectional area (green color) of upper oropharyngeal airway in the oropharyngeal airway (pink color). (b) The minimum cross-sectional area (pink color) of upper oropharyngeal airway in the axial view.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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