[Changes of different section area at different parts of upper-airway after Le Fort III osteotomy].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the therapeutic effects of Le Fort III osteotomy and midface distraction osteogenesis (DO) on the upper-airway narrow.


METHODS
Since 2000, 11 cases (10 cases of Crouzon syndrome and 1 case of Apert syndrome) with severe midface deficiency were treated with Le Fort III osteotomy and midface DO. The section area of different parts of upper-airway were tested by computer assistants image measurement preoperatively and postoperatively. Some patients received sleep function monitoring.


RESULTS
The face appearance and the function of upper-airway improved significantly after Le Fort III osteotomy and Midface DO. The section area at the level of posterior nasal spine and uvula increased obviously after treatment (P < 0.05), however the section area at the level of epiglottis and separation between airway and esophagus were not obviously enlarged (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Midface DO after Le Fort III osteotomy can effectively improve the upper-airway narrow, especially the upper part from uvula.
Xu
Hai-Song
HS
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China.
Mu
Xiong-Zheng
XZ
Yu
Zhe-Yuan
ZY
Feng
Sheng-Zhi
SZ
Han
Jia-Yi
JY
Zhang
Di-Sheng
DS
D000293:Adolescent; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003394:Craniofacial Dysostosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D004825:Epiglottis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000473:pathology; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000379:methods*; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000473:pathology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome