Friedman Stage Research Articles

Anterolateral advancement pharyngoplasty versus barbed reposition pharyngoplasty in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

ObjectivesTo compare functional outcomes and complication rates of anterolateral advancement pharyngoplasty (ALA) versus barbed reposition pharyngoplasty (BRP) in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea patients with palatal and lateral pharyngeal wall collapse.Study designProspective study.SettingUniversity hospitals.Subjects and methodsForty-six patients were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups randomly, group 1 (23 cases) underwent anterolateral advancement pharyngoplasty and group 2 (23 cases) underwent barbed relocation pharyngoplasty. According to the following criteria: both sex, age between 18 and 65 years, body mass index ≤ 32 kg/m2, Friedman stage II or III, type I Fujita, nocturnal polysomnography study diagnostic for OSA, retropalatal and lateral pharyngeal wall collapse, diagnosis with flexible nasoendoscopy during a Muller’s maneuver based on a 5-point scale and drug-induced sleep endoscopy. Patients who suffered from retroglossal airway collapse were rolled out.ResultsApnea–hypopnea index decreased from 27.50 ± 11.56 to 11.22 ± 7.63 (P ≤ .001) in group 1 and from 33.18 ± 10.94 to 12.38 ± 6.77 (P ≤ .001) in group 2. Retropalatal posterior airway space increased from 9.84 ± 1.29 mm to 21.48 ± 2.8 mm (P ≤ .001) in group 1 and increased from 10.26 ± 1.2 mm to 22.86 ± 2.62 mm (P ≤ .001) in group 2. Retropalatal space volume increased from 1.9 ± 0.68 cm3 to 2.75 ± 0.7 cm3 (P ≤ .001) in group 1 and increased from 1.96 ± 0.88 cm3 to 2.82 ± 0.83 cm3 (P ≤ .001) in group 2. Surgical success was 86.95% in group 1 compared to 82.6% in group 2.ConclusionsBoth techniques appear to be effective with a high surgical success rate in the treatment of OSA patients with retropalatal and lateral pharyngeal wall collapse.

Predictors of surgical outcomes for limited palatal muscle resection in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

ObjectiveLimited palatal muscle resection (LPMR) is a modified palatal surgical technique to correct retropalatal obstruction without complications. This study aims to determine the associated factors affecting the success and cure rate of LPMR in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), thus guiding patient selection and improving surgical outcome. MethodsThirty-five OSA patients underwent LPMR were enrolled. All patients received routine physical examination, preoperative drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE), and polysomnography (PSG). Clinical, polysomnographic, cephalometric variables, and DISE findings were evaluated. These measurements were compared between the surgical success and failure group based on the results of preoperative and postoperative PSG. Furthermore, we compared the cured and non-cured groups in the surgical success group. ResultsAmong 35 patients, the overall success rate was 57 % with a cure rate of 31.4 %. Patients with Friedman stage II had a significantly higher success rate (p = 0.032). According to DISE results, tongue base obstruction affected the surgical outcome (p < 0.001). The success rate was 100 % in the no tongue base obstruction during DISE, 72.2 % in the partial obstruction, and 9.1 % in the total obstruction. Tonsil size is also helpful in predicting surgical success rate (p = 0.041). Furthermore, patients with mild AHI were more likely to be surgical cures. when compared with patients with severe AHI (p = 0.044). ConclusionPatients with larger tonsil size and no tongue base obstruction during DISE may have a higher chance of surgical success with LPMR. The lower AHI may be predictors of surgical cure after LPMR.

Application of drug-induced sleep endoscopy in predicting the outcomes of velopharyngeal surgery in adult patients with Friedman stage II and III obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) for the outcomes of velopharyngeal surgery in adult patients with Friedman stage II and III obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). A total of 39 male OSAS patients with Friedman stage II and III were retrospectively analyzed. Subjects with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 5 events/h indicated by polysomnography (PSG) and typical symptoms, such as snoring, sleep apnea, and daytime sleepiness, were included in this study. All these patients underwent pre-operative DISE examinations and were treated by velopharyngeal surgery and evaluated by velum, oropharynx, tongue base, and epiglottis (VOTE) scoring system. Clinical, polysomnographic parameters (e.g., hypopnea, apnea, AHI, lowest oxygen saturation, etc.), cephalometric variables, and DISE findings were evaluated. The treatment outcomes were assessed by polysomnography at least 6 months after surgery. All 39 patients showed complete velopharyngeal airway collapses during pre-operative DISE examinations. After surgery, the AHI was significantly improved from 50.2 ± 21.6 to 19.8 ± 19 events/h (P < 0.05). There were 23 responders (59.0%) and 16 non-responders (41.0%). The glossopharyngeal airway collapse degree (GA-CD) was significantly different between responders and non-responders (P < 0.05). The velopharyngeal airway collapse pattern (VA-CP) and GA-CD were independently predictive of treatment outcomes (both P < 0.05). Patients with non-lateral VA-CP and grade II GA-CD (collapse degree > 50%) had a significantly lower surgical success rate than those without (P < 0.05). The VA-CP and GA-CD in DISE examination are valuable for predicting the treatment outcomes of velopharyngeal surgery in patients with Friedman stage II and III OSAS. Patients with lateral VA-CP and grade I GA-CD are appropriate candidates for velopharyngeal surgery.

Palatal hybrid surgery for obstructive sleep apnea-state-of-the-art annotation of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

BackgroundSurgery for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has changed in concept and technique that transformed from radical excision to functional reconstruction. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and effectiveness of palatal hybrid surgery in OSA patients. MethodsPalatal hybrid surgery is a tissue-specific technique (mucosa-preservation, tonsil-excision, fat-ablation, muscle-relocation/suspension) used in treating OSA patients with velopharyngeal obstruction. The study included 46 consecutive adults OSA patients. The palatal hybrid surgery annotates uvulopalatopharyngoplasty in stereoscopic reconstruction of tonsillar fossa (pharyngoplasty), omni-suspension of the soft palate (palatoplasty) and advancement of uvula (uvuloplasty). ResultsNo patient experienced airway compromise, voice change or persistent nasal regurgitation following palatal hybrid surgery. One patient existed postoperative tonsillar fossa bleeding received conservative treatment. Postoperative pain in visual analogue scale (VAS) showed average score of 3, 3, 2, 0 at the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 14th day, respectively. Perioperative snoring severity (VAS) (8.7 vs 2.6) and daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) (11.3 vs 5.5) all improved significantly (p < 0.001). Posterior air space in retropalatal area increased from 8.4 to 11.1 mm (p < 0.001). Home sleep test showed that apnea–hypopnea index significantly reduced from 41.8 to 18.2 event/h and minimal oxygen saturation increased from 72.4 to 81.5% (p < 0.001). The success rate in individual Friedman stage was 100% (stage I), 63% (stage II) and 58% (stage III) with a total success rate of 63%. ConclusionPalatal hybrid surgery using tissue-specific maneuver annotates UPPP in concept and technique. The results show that palatal hybrid surgery is mini-invasive with low morbid and is effective in improving subjective clinic symptoms, objective sleep parameters and success rate of OSA.

Therapeutic Effect of Extended Uvulopalatal Flap Surgery in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Background and Objective Although numerous studies have reported surgical results of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, efficacies of extended uvulopalatal flap (EUPF) surgery have only been reported in a few studies. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the success rate of EUPF and investigate the advantage and practicality of this surgery.Methods Medical records of patients who underwent EUPF surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Through medical record analysis, demographic information was confirmed. Postoperative polysomnography (PSG) results were divided into a surgical ‘success’ group and a ‘failure’ group. Patients’ PSG results, questionnaires, and cephalometry were comparatively analyzed.Results All sleep parameters of PSG except rapid eye movement latency and hypopnea index were significantly improved after surgery. Ten patients were in the success group (success rate, 33.3%) and 20 patients were in the failure group. Among preoperative PSG parameters, apnea-hypopnea index, apnea index, and number of awakenings showed significant differences between the two groups. However, there were no significant differences in results of cephalometry or Friedman stage between the two groups.Conclusions The EUPF surgery can change sleep factors and improve subjective symptoms in obstructive sleep apnea patients. It could be considered as one of the treatment options for patients with surgical indications, although its success rate was only 33.3%.

Holistic care for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with an emphasis on restoring nasal breathing: A review and perspective.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by partial or complete airway blockage during sleep. Nocturnal nasal obstruction usually leads to mouth breathing while sleeping, which worsens sleep apnea by aggravating tongue base and lateral pharyngeal wall collapse. The pathogenesis of OSA is multifactorial, and the precipitating factors vary significantly among individuals. Although continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is considered the first-line therapy for OSA, its adherence rate remains a challenge. Oral appliances are more suitable for simple snorers or patients with mild OSA. Maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) is highly effective for treating those with mandibular retrognathia and moderate-to-severe OSA. Intrapharyngeal surgeries yield favorable outcomes in patients with large tonsils and low tongue resting position (Friedman Stage I); however, their efficacy declines with time. Each therapy has its own strength and weakness; thus, the principle of multimodality treatment should be adopted. Nasal surgery plays an indispensable role in the holistic care for OSA. In addition to alleviating nasal congestion, nasal surgery significantly reduces snoring intensity and daytime sleepiness, which improves the quality of life of patients with OSA. Although it significantly reduces the respiratory disturbance index, its effect on the apnea-hypopnea index remains controversial. A combination of nasal surgery and multilevel pharyngeal surgery may result in better prognosis. Nasal surgery can significantly reduce the therapeutic pressure and improve the CPAP compliance of patients undergoing CPAP therapy. In conclusion, multimodality treatment and holistic care for OSA should involve nasal surgery for optimizing treatment outcomes.

Improving Adherence to Myofunctional Therapy in the Treatment of Sleep-Disordered Breathing.

Myofunctional therapy (MT) is used to treat sleep-disordered breathing. However, MT has low adherence—only ~10% in most studies. We describe our experiences with MT delivered through a mobile health app named Airway Gym®, which is used by patients who have rejected continuous positive airway pressure and other therapies. We compared ear, nose, and throat examination findings, Friedman stage, tongue-tie presence, tongue strength measured using the Iowa oral performance instrument (IOPI), and full polysomnography before and after the 3 months of therapy. Participants were taught how to perform the exercises using the app at the start. Telemedicine allowed physicians to record adherence to and accuracy of the exercise performance. Fifty-four patients were enrolled; 35 (64.8%) were adherent and performed exercises for 15 min/day on five days/week. We found significant changes (p < 0.05) in the apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI; 32.97 ± 1.8 to 21.9 ± 14.5 events/h); IOPI score (44.4 ± 11.08 to 49.66 ± 10.2); and minimum O2 saturation (80.91% ± 6.1% to 85.09% ± 5.3%). IOPI scores correlated significantly with AHI after the therapy (Pearson r = 0.4; p = 0.01). The 19 patients who did not adhere to the protocol showed no changes. MT based on telemedicine had good adherence, and its effect on AHI correlated with IOPI and improvement in tongue-tie.

The significance of better utilization of patients' preoperative information in predicting outcomes of velopharyngeal surgery: a prospective cohort study.

To compare the efficiency of a TCM scoring system that includes 3 independent predictors obtained by physical examination, computed tomography, and polysomnography with the standard Friedman staging system that includes only physical examination variables for predicting surgical outcomes in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome who undergo velopharyngeal surgery. This prospective study was carried out in 265 patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome who underwent velopharyngeal surgery. All these patients were re-examined with polysomnography for evaluation of surgical outcomes at least 3 months after surgery. The efficacies in the surgical outcome prediction of 2 systems were calculated and compared. The overall response rate and cure rate was 63.8% (169/265) and 22.3% (59/265), respectively. There were 32 patients with Friedman stage I, with a response rate and cure rate of 81.3% (26/32) and 28.1% (9/32), respectively, and 70 patients with TCM scores of < 14 with a response rate and cure rate of 91.4% (64/70) and 42.9% (30/70), respectively. Friedman stage and TCM grade were the only 2 factors independently predictive of surgical response (P < .05, odds ratio value = 0.642 and 0.382). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for surgical response showed that the area under the curve value was 0.600 for Friedman stage, which was significantly lower than that for TCM grade, 0.718 (P = .005). Apnea-hypopnea index and TCM grade were the only 2 factors independently predictive of surgical cure (P < .05, odds ratio value = 0.981 and 0.465). Compared with the Friedman staging system, the TCM scoring system was more efficient in selecting proper candidates for velopharyngeal surgery. The main reason may be its better utilization of patients' preoperative information, especially the inclusion of physiological factors. Registry: Chinese Clinical Trials Register; Name: Clinical Phenotypes and Precise Treatment of Adult OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea): A Multicenter Study; URL: http://www.ChiCTR.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=21189; Identifier: ChiCTR-ONC-17013132. Zhang J, Cao X, Yin G, etal. The significance of better utilization of patients' preoperative information in predicting outcomes of velopharyngeal surgery: a prospective cohort study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(3):843-850.

P100 Modified BRP and Tongue Channelling: Can we cure Friedman III?

Abstract Aim The primary aim of this study was to determine the success rate of modified barbed reposition pharyngoplasty (BRP) and coblation tongue channelling (CCT) in adult patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). The secondary objective was to determine the anatomical sites that were most amenable to surgical intervention. We predicted that Friedman would be a poor predictor of success for this surgical technique and that a new prognostic index would be required. Methodology Adult patients with OSA underwent combined MODIFIED BRP and CCT (n = 40) in this prospective, 2-centre cohort trial. Data analysed included pre- and post-operative (3 months) polysomnography, Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) and VOTE anatomy assessment (using awake nasoendoscopy) performed by a single investigator. Results 40 participants have enrolled in this study. So far, 26 patients have pre- and post-operative data. 42% of these patients had Friedman 3 anatomy. Statistically significant decreases in AHI 20.3 + 24 to 4.9 + 8.6 (p=0.001) and ESS 12.4 + 4.9 to 4.8±3.4 (p=0.001) were observed in pre- to post-operative measurements. Friedman stage 3 patients had an 82% surgical success rate and 64% cure rate. Oropharyngeal lateral collapse and velum anteroposterior collapse were the most correctable forms of anatomical collapse. Conclusion MODIFIED BRP with CCT is a safe and effective surgical option for patients with OSA, as indicated by the reduction in AHI and ESS. Friedman stage III is no longer a barrier for surgical success, and therefore a newer staging system is required to help prognosticate success with modern sleep surgery techniques.

Machine learning-based model for prediction of outcomes in palatal surgery for obstructive sleep apnoea.

● Our retrospective cohort study aimed to elucidate which factors (nasal surgery: septoplasty or functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), palate surgery: uvulopalatal flap (UPF) or palatal muscle resection (PMR)), demography, polysomnography, Friedman stage, drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) results) influence the success of surgery in patients who had been operated to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). ● We used seven machine learning (ML) models (logistic regression-based models (lasso, elastic net (EN), ridge), tree-based models (bagging, random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and neural networks (NN)). ● Among the seven models, their performances were first ranked by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC): lasso (0.8317), EN (0.7500), SVM (0.7163), bagging (0.7115), random forest (0.7115), NN (0.6923) and ridge (0.6538), which shows that lasso had the best performance. ● Tonsil grade and Nasopharynx Oropharynx Hypopharynx and Larynx (NOHL) classification of the epiglottis in DISE were selected as the most important variables in all models including lasso. ● Through the novel ML technique, the surgical success rate of OSA is ultimately dependent on tonsil grade and NOHL classification of the epiglottis in DISE regardless of the type of nasal or palate surgery.

Modified Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with Tonsillectomy in Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a common problem with many long-term consequences if left untreated. The purpose of this study is to find the efficacy of modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with tonsillectomy in the treatment of OSA symptoms, apnoea-hypopnoea index, Epworth sleepiness scale and its effect on blood pressure and cardiac status. Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea with apnoea-hypopnoea index more than 15 with tonsillar hypertrophy, Friedman stage < 3 and palatal collapse or obstruction at the level of velum as diagnosed by DISE were included in this prospective analytical cross-sectional study. Modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with tonsillectomy was done in all patients. History of nocturnal and daytime OSA symptoms, Epworth sleepiness scale, snoring score, polysomnogram, drug induced sleep endoscopy, blood pressure, echocardiogram to measure velocity across pulmonary and aortic valve and ECG were taken preoperatively and 6months postoperatively. A total of 129 participants were recruited. 82 of the 129 patients (63.5%) were men; mean (SD) age was 44.2 (6.78) years. The patients were post operatively classified as responders and non-responders by the DISE finding. 107 patients (82.9%)-responders, had no narrowing and 22 patients (17.1%)-non-responders, had persistent narrowing of velum. Non-responders had increased baseline BMI when compared to responders. All the parameters were statistically improved in responders (p < 0.001). In non-responders, there was no statistical improvement in any of the parameters. Modified uvulopalatopharyngoplasty provides significant improvement in sleep parameters like AHI, Epworth sleepiness scale and other polysomnographic parameters. It significantly reduces the cardiac burden in OSA patients without any complications. Trial registration www.ctri.nic.in identifier: CTRI/2020/06/025759.

Insights into Friedman stage II and III OSA patients through drug-induced sleep endoscopy.

BackgroundThe Friedman staging is a classic system to predict outcomes of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) surgery. Increasing stage indicates more severe upper airway (UA) obstruction and worse surgical successful rate. In previous studies, the UA obstruction between stages were usually assessed based on awake examination. Drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) is a new method that can evaluate airway collapse characteristics during sleep. Therefore, we planned to compare Friedman staging and DISE findings and fulfill the knowledge gap on the correlation between awake and sedated UA examination.MethodsRetrospective case series study that assessed patients with OSA who underwent DISE. Subjects were classified to stage II and stage III groups based on Friedman staging system. UA collapse characteristics based on velum, oropharynx, tongue base, epiglottis (VOTE) classification, including single/multiple obstruction sites, single/combined upper and lower obstruction levels, collapse degree and patterns in different sites, and surgical results among the groups were analyzed.ResultsA total of 175 cases were analyzed. No significant differences were found in baseline measurements between groups. Stage III patients (n=102) had a higher proportion (74.5%) with 3 or 4 obstruction sites than stage II (57.5%, n=73). Velum (V) + oropharynx (O) + tongue base (T) was the most common multi-sites combined obstruction pattern with 33% in stage II and 37% in stage III, isolated lower level obstruction was the least with 6% and 4%, respectively. No significant differences were found in obstruction sites and levels. 106 patients underwent surgeries and 33 had post-surgical sleep study, 73.7% and 63.6% response rate were found in stage II and III with no significant difference.ConclusionsUpper and lower combined obstruction was the main pattern of collapse in both, Friedman stage II and III patients. Patients with OSA and Friedman stage III had more than 2 sites of obstruction than stage II patients.

Predictive values of the combination of Friedman stage and sleep oximetry done early after surgery in predicting the treatment outcomes of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

OBJECTIVE To explore the predictive values of the combination of preoperative data, including medical history and physical examination, and results of sleep oximetry performed early after the surgery (one week) in predicting the treatment outcomes of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) in adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). METHODS All the patients who were diagnosed with OSAHS, underwent UPPP treatment and had complete follow-up data in our institution between Jan 2013 and May 2016 were enrolled in our study. The pre-operative data of these patients, including age, physical examination, and polysomnography (PSG) data, were all exactly collected for analysis. All these patients had received the evaluation of subjective efficacy scale and the sleep oximetry test in early post-operative days (within one week). The long-term efficacy evaluations including PSG and subjective efficacy scale were all finished at least three months after the surgery. RESULTS In the research 61 patients were finally studied, including 25 responders (41.0%) and 36 non-responders (59.0%). Regression analysis revealed that the pre-operative Friedman stage and early post-operative oxygen desaturation index of ≥4% (ODI4) were found to be independently predictive parameters for the UPPP treatment outcomes (P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis was used to estimate the predictive values of ODI4 to the treatment outcomes, and it was calculated with an area under the curve of 0.822. Using the ODI4 of 15 as the cutoff value, the sensitivity and specificity of that calculated were up to 0.778 and 0.760 respectively. The response rate among the patients with an early post-operative ODI4 of <15 was 70.4%, which was significantly higher than that of the patients with an early post-operative ODI4 of ≥15, whose response rate was 17.6% (P<0.05). The similar results could also be obtained in the patients with pre-operative Friedman stage II (87.5% vs.25.0%) and Friedman stage III (33.3% vs. 6.7%). CONCLUSION The combination of early post UPPP operation oximetry parameters, especially ODI4, and pre-operative Friedman stage could be used in better evaluating the potential surgical outcomes of UPPP.

Evolution of the Universe with two rotating fluids

An anisotropic cosmological model with expansion and rotation and the Bianchi type IX metric has been constructed within the framework of general relativity theory. The first inflation stage of the Universe filled with a scalar field and an anisotropic fluid is considered. The model describes the Friedman stage of cosmological evolution with subsequent transition to accelerated exponential expansion observed in the present epoch. The model has two rotating fluids: the anisotropic fluid and dust-like fluid. In the approach realized in the model, the anisotropic fluid describes the rotating dark energy.

Analyzed the related factors of VOTE score for drug-induced sleep endoscopy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Objective:To analyze the related factors of VOTE score for drug-induced endoscopy（DISE） in patients with obstructive sleep apnea （OSA）. Method:Fifty-four OSA patients, diagnosed by polysomnograph, underwent surgical treatment from Nov 2014 to Dec 2016 in our hospital. All patients underwent drug induced sleep endoscope, and then the collapse of pharyngeal space was evaluated. We analyzed the related factors with VOTE score. Result:The occlusion rates were significant statistical different in different spaces of 54 OSA patients undergoing DISE（P=0.000, velum 98.15%, oropharynx 81.48%, tongue base 40.47%, and epiglottis 11.11% respectively）. The rateand of tongue base collapsing was related with Mallampatis（P<0.05） and Friedman stage（P<0.05）. The VOTE score was weakly related with Friedman stage（r=0.297, P<0.05）, medium related with BMI（r=0.376, P<0.05）, AHI（r=0.312, P<0.05） and lowest SpO2（r=0.376, P<0.01）. Conclusion:In the VOTE scoring system for DISE, the rate of collapse in tongue base was related with Mallampatis and Friedman stage. The VOTE score was medium related with BMI, AHI and Lowest SpO2, mild related with Friedman stage.

Model of Evolution of the Universe with the Bianchi Type VIII Metric

An anisotropic cosmological model with expansion and rotation and the Bianchi type VIII metric has been constructed within the framework of general relativity theory. The first inflation stage of the Universe filled with a scalar field and an anisotropic fluid is considered. The model describes the Friedman stage of cosmological evolution with subsequent transition to accelerated exponential expansion observed in the present epoch. In the approach realized in the model, the anisotropic fluid describes the rotating dark energy.

Comparison of Clinical Characteristics and Effects of Modified Jaw Thrust Maneuver During Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) between Positional and Non-Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients

Background and Objectives: Positional OSAS is characterized by an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) score &gt;5, which, while sleeping in the supine position, is double that in non-supine position. This study was performed to compare the clinical characteristics of positional OSAS and non-positional OSAS patients, and the effects of the modified jaw thrust maneuver during drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) between positional OSAS and non-positional OSAS patients. Materials and Methods: 68 positional OSAS patients and 19 non-positional OSAS patients were included. They all underwent full-night polysomnography and DISE. The modified jaw thrust maneuver was introduced during DISE. Airway structural changes induced by the modified jaw thrust maneuver were evaluated and documented. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in Friedman stage or tonsil grade, body mass index, Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) score, blood pressure, AHI, or obstructive pattern between the positional and non-positional OSAS patients. However, mean arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), lowest SaO2, and total arousal index values were more severe in the non-positional OSAS patients. After introduction of the modified jaw thrust maneuver, retrolingual level obstruction showed a tendency toward a higher rate of airway opening in positional OSAS patients than in non-positional OSAS patients. Conclusions: The effects of a mandibular advancement device (MAD) can be estimated by carrying out a modified jaw thrust maneuver during DISE. The tendency toward a higher rate of airway opening in positional OSAS patients than non-positional OSAS patients in retrolingual level obstruction after jaw thrust maneuver introduced during DISE may be clinically important for MAD. (J Clinical Otolaryngol 2018;29:190-197)

Test-retest reliability of drug-induced sleep endoscopy using midazolam.

Drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) has been suggested to be a valuable method for determining the obstruction patterns causing sleep-disordered breathing. However, since DISE is not performed throughout the duration of sleep but for less than 1 hour, the reproducibility and reliability of DISE are questionable. Therefore, we aimed to determine the test-retest reliability of DISE using midazolam. Thirty-four patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea were prospectively included in this study. The patients underwent 2 separate DISE examinations that were performed at different days using the same drug and technique. For a more accurate comparison, the depth of sleep and examination time were identically controlled. VOTE classification was used to classify the obstruction findings, and the findings of upper airway obstruction were compared between the 2 tests. There were 30 men and four women; the mean age was 45.4 ± 13.1 years. The mean apnea-hypopnea index was 38.3 ± 22.6, and the lowest oxygen saturation was 77.5% ± 12.4%. The lateral wall of the oropharynx, tongue base, and epiglottis showed very good agreement, and the velum showed good agreement between the first and second DISE examinations. The reliability of DISE is debatable because it observes only a small portion of the total sleep, but this study suggests that DISE is a reliable test because the findings of 2 separate DISE examinations on different days showed a high concordance rate.

Low inter-examiner agreement of the Friedman staging system indicating limited value in patient selection

PurposeThe Friedman staging system is a clinical method for selecting patients with obstructive sleep apnoea who are likely to benefit from uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. The objective of this study was to evaluate the system by determining its inter-examiner agreement.MethodsTwelve patients with obstructive sleep apnoea were examined by 14 doctors. The Friedman stage was derived from tonsil size and tongue position, and a Cohen’s kappa analysis was performed to assess inter-examiner agreement.ResultsOne hundred and sixty-eight ratings were performed. The median kappa for tongue position was 0.32 (first and third quartiles: 0.21 and 0.44) and was 0.62 (0.50 and 0.63) for tonsil size. The median kappa for the Friedman stage was 0.38 (0.24 and 0.55), which corresponds to only a slight or fair agreement.ConclusionThe Friedman staging system demonstrated a low inter-examiner agreement, indicating that the system is an uncertain method for selecting patients for uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.Level of evidence2B.

Does drug-induced sleep endoscopy predict surgical success of limited palatal muscle resection in patients with obstructive sleep apnea?

ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to determine the associated factors affecting the success rate of limited palatal muscle resection (LPMR), and to investigate whether drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) could predict the therapeutic response to LPMR in patients with obstructive sleep apnea obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). MethodsTwenty-one consecutive OSA patients underwent LPMR were enrolled. All patients received routine ENT examination, preoperative DISE, and polysomnography (PSG). Clinical, polysomnographic, cephalometric variables, and DISE findings were evaluated. The measurements were related to the success or failure of LPMR based on the results of preoperative and postoperative PSG. ResultsThe overall success rate of LPMR was 66.6%. Postoperative AHI and minimal oxygen saturation were significantly decreased after LPMR (p<0.001). Comparison between success and failure groups revealed no significant differences in BMI, Friedman stage, preoperative AHI, minimal oxygen saturation, and all cephalometric parameters. However, the success of LPMR was significantly correlated with site, degree, and configuration of obstruction in DISE. In the velopharynx, complete obstruction (p=0.006) with anterolateral or concentric pattern (p=0.044) had significantly better success rate than partial obstruction with lateral pattern. ConclusionDISE was only predictive method for identifying the success in OSA patients undergoing LPMR. Patients with anteroposterior or concentric total obstruction in the velopharynx might be suitable candidate for LPMR.