Relief of Upper Airway Obstruction With Mandibular Distraction Surgery

Mandibular distraction osteogenesis used to treat upper airway obstruction.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether mandibular distraction osteogenesis relieves tongue-based airway obstruction in patients with severe micrognathia. DESIGN Retrospective medical review spanning a 7-year period in a tertiary care hospital. The inclusion criterion was defined as micrognathia associated with a severe tongue-based obstruction. The patients included 11 neonates and infants (mean age, ...

Infant Mandibular Distraction for Upper Airway Obstruction: A Clinical Audit

BACKGROUND Mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) is an effective method of treating upper airway obstruction (UAO) in micrognathic infants. The short-term outcomes include relief of UAO, avoidance of tracheostomy, and prompt discharge from hospital. However, it is a significant surgical procedure with potential associated morbidities. This study describes a cohort of infants managed using M...

Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis: Upper Airway Management in Pierre Robin Sequence

Mandibular distraction to relieve airway obstruction in children with cerebral palsy.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of distraction osteogenesis of the mandible for relief of airway obstruction in neurologically impaired children. DESIGN Prospective pilot study. SETTING Tertiary care children's hospital. PATIENTS Five children with upper airway obstruction secondary to hypotonia were identified by airway endoscopy, pulse oximetry, and polysomnography. Four childr...

Mandibular distraction osteogenesis for neonates with Pierre Robin sequence and airway obstruction.

Neonates with Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS) usually present with varying degrees of upper airway obstruction and difficulty feeding. Early treatment is important for such children in order to prevent impaired cognitive development resulting from hypoxemic episodes. Various procedures aimed at widening the pharyngeal space have been proposed, including prone position, tongue-lip adhesion, mandibul...