Acoustic Pharyngometry Measurement of Minimal Cross-Sectional Airway Area Is a Significant Independent Predictor of Moderate-To-Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Asian Biomedicine, 2007
Author: Robert L. Horchover
Discussion: “Oral devices are not for every patient. An adequate evaluation should include a full medical examination and polysomnography to document sleep apnea severity and screening for predisposing factors associated with neck and shoulder muscles, including mandibular range of motion, occlusion, dentition and the intra-oral anatomy, tongue size and architecture of the oropharyngeal junction. A device may then be selected to best meet the patient’s unique needs. Acoustic reflection pharyngometry can be a
valuable tool for measuring upper airway baseline dimension and determining whether and how much mandibular repositioning will enlarge the airway. Each person seems to have an anterior/vertical position that produces his or her unique optimum airway.”
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