The Influences of Jaw Postures on the Upper Airway of Non-obese Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients An Image Study

摘要

Upper airway at 9 mandible postures of 9 male non-obese severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients and 9 age/BMI matched controls were imaged by using MRI. For those OSA patients, mouth opening will compromise the upper airway volume; and the volume reduction can be compensated with mandible advancement at 75% of it maximal protrusion range. However, mandible postures won't affect the upper airway volume in the normal controls. Therefore, muscle tone impairment of the upper airway seems to be the cause of OSA in non-obese patients; and its tone can be strengthend by advancing the mandible.