Objective: To investigate the upper airway (UA) characteristics of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) using computer-assisted fiberoptic pharyngoscopy with Müller’s maneuver (CFPMM). Methods: The pharyngeal cavity were measured and calculated by CFPMM in 30 OSAS patients and 30 controls. The correlation between UA anatomy and polysomnography data was analyzed. Results: CFPMM can measure the cross-section area of UA accurately. All OSAS patients had minimal cross-section areas of pharyngeal apertures below 40 mm2 during Müller’s maneuver and 60% of cases had complete occlusion. Obstruction sites at the velopharynx were observed in all cases and 40% had multiple obstruction sites. Diminished pharyngeal apertures and increased collapsibility were associated with increased rates of apnea and hypopnea index (p < 0.05). Conclusion: CFPMM is able to evaluate UA’s characteristics and help determine the site of obstruction. Complete occlusion of UA during Müller’s maneuver is the criterion to determine the obstruction site in OSAS patients.

Keywords:
Obstructive sleep apnea, Topodiagnosis, Fiberoptic pharyngoscopy, Müller’s maneuver
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© 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel
2007
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