Analysis of the difference in the course of the lingual arteries caused by tongue position change.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To explore the difference in the course of the lingual arteries between the tongue in the fully extended position and in the resting position in obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patients. STUDY DESIGN Prospective nonrandomized study. METHODS Seventeen patients with OSAHS were included in the study. Each patient received two lingual artery computed tomography angiography (CTA) examinations. For the first CTA examination, each subject was requested to keep the mouth closed with the tongue in a resting position. For the second CTA examination, each subject was asked to keep the mouth open with the tongue in a fully extended position. The difference in the distances between the bilateral lingual arteries and the depths of the lingual artery beneath the lingual surface, based on three reference marks, was analyzed with the tongue in a resting and extended position using the CTA images. RESULTS Both the depths of the lingual artery beneath the lingual surface and the distances between the bilateral lingual arteries based on three reference marks in the fully extended position were all significantly smaller than those in the resting position (P < .01 or .05). CONCLUSION Performing lingual artery CTA on OSAHS patients with the tongue in the fully extended position preoperatively has higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting the course of the lingual artery during surgery because the mouth is open and the tongue is fully extended forward during midline glossectomy.