Soft Palate In Patients Research Articles

Computerized endopharyngeal myotonometry (CEM): a new method to evaluate the tissue tone of the soft palate in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.

This study compared the tissue tone of the soft palate in nonsnoring subjects and patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) during wakefulness. Here, tissue tone means the biomechanical property of the tissue which can be characterized by two main parameters: stiffness and elasticity. Tissue tone includes both structural and neural components. A new method to evaluate the tissue tone of the soft palate was used - computerized endopharyngeal myotonometry (CEM). This method records and analyses the response of the soft palate tissues to a brief mechanical impact. The method enabled us to evaluate the most important parameters of tissue tone: stiffness, which is expressed as a frequency; and elasticity, expressed as a logarithmic decrement of the damped oscillation. First, a self-reported questionnaire was completed about the medical history of the subjects. Subjects then underwent a physical examination of the oropharynx and polysomnography with overnight pulse oximetry. The results of the CEM method indicated that patients with OSAS show an increased stiffness of the soft palate tissues (20.3, SD 4.7 Hz) compared with nonsnoring subjects (12.2, SD 1.8 Hz). In patients with sleep apnoea, elasticity is not increased in a similar way to stiffness. Thus, the disproportion between tissue stiffness and elasticity of the soft palate is a measure of the pathological changes in patients with sleep apnoea.

Poster 50 Inflammation is Present in the Soft Palate of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Poster 50 Inflammation is Present in the Soft Palate of Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Derzeitiger Stand der Laserchirurgie im Bereich des weichen Gaumens und der angrenzenden Regionen*

The amount of different clinically available lasers is increasing. The ENT surgeon can therefore use the best laser for the planned operation. As the resources of the hospital do not increase with the laser technology, a decision has to be made whether in addition to the universal CO2-laser other types must be acquired and which type is best. This paper presents the characteristics and typical tissue interactions of several lasers for the area of the soft palate. Typical operative examples are shown, e.g. partial resection of the soft palate in patients with bronchopathy and sleep apnoea syndrome, tonsillectomy, tonsillotomy and adenotomy in adults.