Genioglossus muscle advancement via a trephine osteotomy approach

Abstract

The trephine osteotomy approach is a modification of the anterior mandibular osteotomy window approach which produces a circular osteotomy segment containing the genioglossus muscle in one cutting motion. In this series of 20 patients, the operating time was approximately 45 minutes, blood loss and the complications rate compared favorably with the conventional anterior mandibular osteotomy technique. This article will review the trephine osteotomy approach for the advancement of the genioglossus muscle sufficiently to allow the surgeon to incorporate this technique into his or her surgical armamentarium for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.