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Endoscopic classification of pharyngeal stenosis pattern in obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome
Author(s) -
HIGAMI SHIGERU,
INOUE YUICHI,
HIGAMI YUMIKO,
TAKEUCHI HIROMI,
IKOMA HISAAKI
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1819.2002.00960.x
Subject(s) - hypopnea , medicine , obstructive sleep apnea , pharynx , apnea , stenosis , sleep apnea , anesthesia , surgery , cardiology , polysomnography
Twenty‐one patients with obstructive sleep apnea–hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) were classified into three categories according to their pharyngeal stenosis patterns during sleep, as determined from endoscopic findings: (i) a falling type ( n = 6); (ii) an all‐round type ( n = 11); and (iii) a bilateral type ( n = 4). In all patients with the bilateral type, the palatine tonsils were hypertrophied, and the apnea–hypopnea indexes (AHI) were improved markedly by surgery. Conversely, the AHI of patients with the falling and all‐round types were reduced by a smaller percentage. Surgical therapy is only to be recommended to patients with OSAHS whose pharynx is bilaterally stenotic.