Evaluation of Pharyngeal Airway Dimensions Following Mandibular Setback Surgery in Patients Treated with Surgery First Orthognathic Approach

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate changes in upper airway dimensions post Mandibular Setback (MS) surgery with Surgery First Orthognathic Approach (SFOA) and also to evaluate stabilty of these changes 01 year post surgery using Acoustic Pharyngometry (AP). Methods: AP records of 10 patients treated with SFOA for MS were evaluated for changes in upper airway dimensions at T0 (Pre-treatment), T1 (01 week post-surgery) and T2 (01 year post surgery). Percentage changes in airway parameters were measured between T0 and T1 to study the changes in airway dimensions post-surgery and between T1 and T2 to know the stability of changes in upper airway dimensions 01 year post surgery and to ascertain relapse. Results: The distribution of mean volume, mean area and minimum area at T1 was significantly lower compared to T0 (p-value 0.05). Conclusion: SFOA is a viable approach for management of maxillofacial deformities in selected cases. However, skeletal relapse and airway compromise in MS cases necessitates the clinician to meticulously diagnose and plan the treatment in these cases and a more extensive bi-jaw surgery may be considered at the expense of preventing airway compromise in these patients. A longitudinal study with a larger sample size and longer follow up period may be considered to validate the findings of this study.