Upper airway volume after Le Fort III advancement in subjects with craniofacial malformation.
OBJECTIVE
There are no quantitative standards for the volumetric measurements of the airway space after Le Fort III advancement. Computed tomographic (CT) scans have provided the opportunity to compare with the accuracy of real anatomic changes, thus the functional improvements, resulting after a surgical treatment.


METHODS
Three-dimensional CT scans processed by Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine files in Dolphin 3D software were used to assess the airway space volume in 4 subjects affected by craniofacial syndromic malformations treated with Le Fort III advancement. The preoperative (T0) and postoperative (T1: 6 mo after surgery) three-dimensional craniofacial CT scans of the subjects were collected and retrospectively analyzed. Image segmentation of the anatomic structures of interest and the three-dimensional graphic rendering were done by using the Dolphin Imaging Plus 11.0 software.


RESULTS
The airway space volume was significantly increased after surgery (mean [SD]: from 9166.57 [1861.48] mm to 15,300.45 [5114.09] mm; P < 0.01). The sagittal surfaces had an expansion from 798.92 (74.88) to 1151.45 (218.47) mm. The coronal surfaces grew from 226.75 (62.85) to 390.42 (102.21) mm, and axial surfaces increased 473.32 (62.34) to 676.00 (151.07) mm from T0 to T1.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, this study showed an increase in the upper airway space volume in white subjects after Le Fort III advancement.
University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Giorgio
G
Iannetti
Antonella
A
Polimeni
Marco
M
Pagnoni
Maria Teresa
MT
Fadda
Valerio
V
Ramieri
Valeria
V
Ranieri
Simona
S
Tecco
Felice
F
Festa
D000168:Acrocephalosyndactylia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002508:Cephalometry; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003394:Craniofacial Dysostosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008313:Malocclusion, Angle Class III / Q000601:surgery; D019340:Osteotomy, Le Fort / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012984:Software; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome