Mandibular distraction osteogenesis reconstructed the upper airway in a case of Melnick-Needles syndrome.
BACKGROUND
We report a 16-year-old female with Melnick-Needles syndrome complicated with severe obstructive sleep apnea-hypoxia syndrome.


METHODS
An overnight sleep study demonstrated that the patient had severe obstructive sleep apnea with an apnea-hypopnea index of 95/h. The lowest oxygen saturation was only 34%. The distraction osteogenesis technique was used to lengthen her mandible for the reconstruction of her upper airway.


CONCLUSIONS
Postoperative panorex showed that the bilateral body of her mandible had been distracted about 16 mm singulorumly in the end of our distraction. Lateral radiograph revealed that the diameter of oral pharynx widen nearly 5 mm. The patient recovered after the upper airway reconstruction.
Chen
Jun
J
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Fan
Guo-Kang
GK
Mao
Boyu
B
Zhang
Zhouming
Z
D000293:Adolescent; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008312:Malocclusion, Angle Class II / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D010009:Osteochondrodysplasias / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery