title: Treatment modalities of infants with upper airway obstruction--review of the literature and presentation of novel orthopedic appliances.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present a new orthopedic method for treatment of infants with Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) and upper airway obstruction (UAO) as an alternative to other established nonsurgical and surgical techniques such as positioning, nasopharyngeal or endotracheal intubation, tongue-lip adhesion, extension, distraction, or tracheostomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of the literature and presentation of novel orthopedic appliances.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Orthodontics, Dental Clinic, Medical Faculty of the University of Wuerzburg, Germany, Department and Clinic of Pediatrics, Medical Faculty of the University of Wuerzburg, Germany, 2005 to 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven patients with significant respiratory and feeding difficulties between 0 and 6 months of age. Both patients with nonsyndromic PRS and patients with syndromic PRS were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  The type of respiratory tract obstruction was defined by nasopharyngoscopy. Patients with type 1 obstruction received a plate with an epiglottic spur; whereas, patients with obstruction type 2, 3, or 4 received a plate with a pharyngeal tube.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were successfully treated with orthopedic appliances alone. Under plate therapy they showed good oxygen saturation and could consequently be better nourished orally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presented novel method is a noninvasive technique in treatment of infants with UAO.
authors.forename: Janka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kochel
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meyer-Marcotty
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wirbelauer
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Böhm
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kochel
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bareis
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hebestreit
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Speer
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stellzig-Eisenhauer
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D058747:CHARGE Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008342:Mandibulofacial Dysostosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D010158:Palatal Obturators; D010855:Pierre Robin Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D016896:Treatment Outcome