Snoring imaging: could Bernoulli explain it all?

نویسنده

  • Igor Fajdiga
چکیده

STUDY OBJECTIVES To identify upper airway changes in snoring using CT scanning, to clarify the snoring mechanism, and to identify the key structures involved. PARTICIPANTS Forty patients underwent CT examination of the head and neck region according to snoring habits; patients were classified into non-snoring (n = 14), moderately loud snoring (n = 13), and loud snoring (n = 13) groups. DESIGN Comparative analysis. MEASUREMENTS Using CT images, areas, the anteroposterior and transversal distances of the pharyngeal space at different levels, and the thickness and length of the soft palate and uvula and their angle against the hard palate were measured; evidence of impaired nasal passages was noted; the extent of pharyngeal inspiratory narrowing was the ratio between the area at the hard palate level and most narrow area; and expiratory narrowing was the ratio between the area behind the root of the tongue and the most narrow area. RESULTS Greater pharyngeal inspiratory narrowing (p = 0.0015) proportional to the loudness of snoring (p = 0.0016), and a longer soft palate with uvula (p = 0.0173) were significant for snoring. Impaired nasal breathing was significantly related (p = 0.029) only to the loud snoring group. The body mass index and age of snoring persons were also significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS Snoring is associated with typical changes that can be revealed by CT scanning. Greater pharyngeal narrowing is the most important factor. Given the "Venturi tube" shape of the pharynx, the Bernoulli pressure principle plays a major role in snoring. The key structure in snoring is the soft palate: it defines the constriction and is sucked into vibrating by negative pressure that develops at this site. Its repetitive closures present an obstruction to breathing, producing the snoring sound, and should therefore be the target for causal treatment of snoring. Obstacles in the upper airway that increase negative inspiratory pressure could not be confirmed as important for the development of snoring, although they may increase its loudness.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

The efficacy of radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction of hypertrophied inferior turbinate in simple snoring.

BACKGROUND Simple snoring represents a social problem, not only because it could affect the patient's married life, but it often goes along with sleep-disordered breathing. Chronic nasal obstruction has many sequel including snoring and the inferior turbinate hypertrophy (ITH) is its most common cause. The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of video-assisted endoscopic radiofrequency ...

متن کامل

Titanium Snoreplasty- A New Surgical Technique

Introduction: Based on the previous data, among the general population aged between 30 and 60 years, snoring is observed in 44% and 28% of males and females, respectively. Therefore, it is important to treat snoring to reduce the disruption of the bed partner's sleep and the patients’ own problems. This study aimed to present a minimally invasive procedure which is easy to perform with le...

متن کامل

Nasal Involvement in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Numerous studies have reported an association between nasal obstruction and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), but the precise nature of this relationship remains to be clarified. This paper aimed to summarize data and theories on the role of the nose in the pathophysiology of sleep apnea as well as to discuss the benefits of surgical and medical nasal treatments. A number of pathophysiol...

متن کامل

Obstructive sleep apnea among patients with retinal vein occlusion.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the possible involvement of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in retinal vein occlusion (RVO). METHODS From the medical records of 63 consecutive patients with RVO, 30 patients with 2 of the 3 following risk factors for OSA were selected for further screening from February 1, 2008, through March 31, 2009: associated cardiovascular disease, snoring, or daytime sleepiness. R...

متن کامل

A New Clinical Scoring System for Adenoid Hypertrophy in Children

Introduction: Chronic nasal obstruction due to adenoid hypertrophy is a very common disorder. Although the clinical assessment of adenoid hypertrophy is essential, its real value in young children is difficult to evaluate. The purpose of this prospective study was to validate a simple clinical score to predict the severity of adenoid obstruction and to evaluate the relationship between this met...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • Chest

دوره 128 2  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2005