title: [Three-dimensional finite element study on the change of glossopharyngeum in patient with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome during titrated mandible advancement].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To construct a three-dimensional finite element model of the upper airway and adjacent structure of an obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) patient for biomechanical analysis. And to study the influence of glossopharyngeum of an OSAHS patient with three-dimensional finite element model during titrated mandible advancement.
  
  
  METHODS
  DICOM format image information of an OSAHS patient's upper airway was obtained by thin-section CT scanning and digital image processing were utilized to construct a three-dimensional finite element model by Mimics 10.0, Imageware 10.0 and Ansys software. The changes and the law of glossopharyngeum were observed by biomechanics and morphology after loading with titrated mandible advancement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A three-dimensional finite element model of the adjacent upper airway structure of OSAHS was established successfully. After loading, the transverse diameter of epiglottis tip of glossopharyngeum increased significantly, although the sagittal diameter decreased correspondingly. The principal stress was mainly distributed in anterior wall of the upper airway. The location of principal stress concentration did not change significantly with the increasing of distance. The stress of glossopharyngeum increased during titrated mandible advancement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A more precise three-dimensional finite model of upper airway and adjacent structure of an OSAHS patient is established and improved efficiency by Mimics, Imageware and Ansys software. The glossopharyngeum of finite element model of OSAHS is analyzed by titrated mandible advancement and can effectively show the relationship between mandible advancement and the glossopharyngeum.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Stomatology, The First People's Hospital of Yibin, Yibin 644000, China.
authors.forename: Suixing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Zuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Aili
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Junheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Songqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yanling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed