[Surgical treatment of severe sleep apnea syndrome by maxillomandibular advancing or mental tranposition]. / Traitement chirurgical du syndrome d'apnées du sommeil sévère par avancée maxillo-mandibulaire ou par transposition génienne.

Surgery of the facial skeleton or the tongue may be envisaged in case of failure of continuous positive pressure ventilation for severe sleep apnea syndrome defined by a apnea-hyponea index greater than 30/h. We present here our results in patients treated by maxillo-mandibular advancing and mental transposition. We define the surgical indications. Between January 1993 and June 1997, 41 patients, mean age 49 years, with severe sleep apnea syndrome (mean apnea-hyponea index =58.5/h) were treated by maxillo-mandibular advancing (21 cases) or mental transposition (20 cases) depending on the cephalometric work-up including lateral teleradiography and sagittal magnetic resonance imaging of the tongue. Functional outcome was good in both groups. Objective success (postoperative apnea-hyponea index <20) was 70.5 % after bimaxillary advancing (mean apnea-hypopnea index =17), but only 25 % after mental transposition (mean apnea-hyponea index =44.5). Maxillomandibular advancing is a major procedure which can be effective in sleep apnea patients with severe craniofacial skeletal anomalies. Its applications in apneic patients with no skeletal anomaly remains a subject of debate. Conversely, there would appear to be very few indications for mental transposition.

[Hypoglossal nerve in its intralingual trajectory: anatomy and clinical implications]. / Le nerf hypoglosse dans son trajet intralingual. Etude anatomique et applications cliniques.

There is little literature on the intralingual trajectory of the hypoglosal nerve. We performed an anatomical dissection on 6 cadavers and completed our study with histological examinations. The 12th cranial nerve enters the lower part of the tongue laterally, reaching the anterior border of the hypoglossal muscle where it follows the ascending lingual artery medially to terminate anteriorly to the lingual V. Its terminal branches spread out horizontally in each half of the tongue. There is a paramedial branch, found in all cases, which projects downwardly, posteriorly and medially at the basilingual portion of the genioglossal muscle. These anatomic findings indicate that basiglossectomy removing the entire base of the tongue can be performed without functional sequelae. A certain degree of somatotopy is also found with specific fibers reaching the protractor and retractor muscles. This nerve distribution supports attempts at selective electrical stimulation of the hypoglossal nerve with the aim of dilating the upper airways in patients with sleep apnea syndrome.

Tongue base reduction with hyoepiglottoplasty: a treatment for severe obstructive sleep apnea.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a surgical procedure for the treatment of severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), the procedure's indications, and its results. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study of 10 male patients with OSAS treated by tongue base reduction with hyoepiglottoplasty (TBRHE) at the Foch Hospital (Suresnes, France) between 1994 and 1997. Patients had a mean body mass index (BMI) of 32 kg/m2, a mean respiratory disturbance index (RDI) of 70 events/h, and a mean minimal oxygen saturation of 78%. They had refused positive airway pressure therapy or wished to discontinue it. METHODS: Subtotal tongue base reduction preceded by lingual neurovascular bundle identification and derouting, epiglottal verticalization, mouth floor horizontalization, and hyoid bone repositioning was performed, associated in some cases to uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Indications were based on a site-related obstruction, on the absence of craniofacial deficiencies, and on the presence of hyolingual abnormalities determined by cephalometry and magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: TBRHE associated to UPPP in most cases had an 80% success rate, based on a postoperative RDI below 20 events/h and a reduction of the preoperative RDI of more than 50%. Snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness decreased or disappeared, respectively, in 100% and 90% of the cases. No neurovascular complications occurred. CONCLUSION: TBRHE is a safe procedure for the neurovascular bundle. Associated to a pharyngotomy, it is an effective treatment for severe OSAS attributable to tongue base obstruction. These results require confirmation in a larger series of patients.

[Long-term results of surgical pharyngectomy (uvulo-palato-pharyngoplasty) versus office CO2 laser (L.A.U.P.) for the treatment of uncomplicated snoring]. / Résultats à long terme de la pharyngotomie chirurgicale classique (uvulo-palato-pharyngoplastie) versus laser CO2 en ambulatoire dans le traitement de la ronchopathie simple.

Two treatments are habitually proposed for snoring without obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: the surgical pharyngotomy, and the treatment by laser done in the office. Our study analyses retrospectively, by telephone questionnaire, a group of 168 snorers, without obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, treated by pharyngotomy (n = 71) or CO2 laser (n = 97) between 1989 and 1993. Results after a mean follow-up of 5 years, with a minimal of 3 years, show for the two procedures the same efficacity, and an equivalent prevalence of side effects. The rate of satisfaction for the patient and her bed-partner is about 50%, in relation to a degradation of therapeutic effect in the long run. We propose to precisely the results and the indications of the surgery and the laser for treatment of uncomplicated rhonchopathy.

[Tongue base reduction with hyoid-epiglottoplasty. A surgical alternative in severe sleep apnea syndromes]. / Basiglossectomie avec hyo-épiglottoplastie. Une alternative chirurgicale pour les syndromes d'apnées du sommeil sévères.

We present preliminary results and indications of tongue base reduction with hyo-epiglottoplasty for the treatment of severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) due to isolated hyolingual abnormalities. The procedure consists in a subtotal resection of the tongue base after identification and derouting of the lingual neurovascular bundle. Hypopharyngeal enlargement, epiglottis verticalization, floor of the mouth tension and hyoid bone repositioning are also performed during the procedure. 14 severe OSAS male patients (mean apnea-hypopnea index of 71) were treated in our institution from November 1992 to February 1996. Indications were determined after a cephalometric analysis and a magnetic resonance imaging evaluation. Results were evaluated on clinical and polysomnographic criteria. No neurovascular complications occurred. Clinical results were excellent but success rate based on polysomnography was 50%. These preliminary results led us to change some of the steps in the technique. We also identified a predictive factor of success on the cephalometrics: an oropharyngeal area greater than 25 cm2.

[Frontal mucoceles of orbital or cerebral extension: therapeutic strategy]. / Mucocèles frontales à extension orbitaire ou cérébrale: stratégie thérapeutique.

The aim of this study was to investigate ten patients who underwent surgery for mucoceles of the frontal sinus. Bicoronal direct access was required by the localization of the mucocele limited to the frontal sinuses, its extension to the orbit and/or the brain and because of the anatomy of the frontal sinuses (large size, lateral horn...) as evidenced at imaging. Direct access to the frontal sinuses was achieved in 9 patients allowing marsupialization associated with repermeabilization of the naso-frontal duct (7 cases) or exeresis of the mucocele by cranialization (2 cases). Mean follow-up is 27 months. Repermeabilization of the naso-frontal duct was effective in 7 out of 8 cases. There were no complications after cranialization and no recurrence has been observed. Drainage of frontal mucoceles is a first intention strategy. In case of complication or recurrence, cranialization of the frontal sinuses would appear to be better than an exclusion-filling procedure.

[Analysis of results of pharyngotomy in the surgical treatment of sleep apnea syndrome. Apropos of 150 cases]. / Analyse des résultats de la pharyngotomie dans le traitement chirurgical du syndrome d'apnée du sommeil. A propos de 150 cas.

The indications and limitations of simple veloamygdalotomy as surgical cure for sleep apnoea were analyzed on the basis of results obtained in the first 150 cases treated prospectively by pharyngotomy. Clinical and polysomnographic results were analyzed as possible factors predicting success or failure. With a success rate of 80%, pharyngotomy is a simple and effective treatment for patients with minor forms of sleep apnoea (initial apnoea/hypopnoea index < 20) and no severe obesity. It appears unreasonable to propose isolated pharyngotomy if the initial index is < 30 since the success rate in the cases is only 27%. Nasal repermeation does not improve overall results significantly. The lack of patient compliance to diagnostic and therapeutic modalities is an unavoidable reality due to human, social and economic implications.

[A new technique of gene transposition in the surgical treatment of sleep apnea syndrome]. / Nouvelle technique de transposition génienne dans le traitement chirurgical du syndrome d'apnée du sommeil.

Pharyngotomy appears to be insufficient for the treatment of severe sleep apnea. For patients who refuse or abandon mechanical ventilatory assistance, surgery can be used to widen the retrobasilingual space adapting it to the cephalometric profile defined by cineradiography and MRI in combination with velopharyngeal plasty. For patients with no maxillomandibular or lingual malformation, the pharyngotomy can be combined with an anterior transposition of the genial insertions of the tongue without rotation. A method different from that described by Riley and Powel is proposed. The details of the surgical procedure are exposed. The operation is indicated in snorers with sleep apnoea with an Apnea Index Superior to 30 who refuse nocturnal ventilatory assistance and who do not have a hypertrophied tongue (Surface less than 30 cm2) or maxillomandibular retroposition.

[Treatment of velopharyngeal stenosis after pharyngotomy for chronic snoring. Apropos of 13 cases]. / Traitement des sténoses vélopharyngées après pharyngotomie pour rhonchopathie chronique. A propos de 13 cas.

Velopharyngeal stenosis is a rare complication of pharyngotomy (UPPP) for chronic snoring. Its treatment is hard because of its recidivant feature. The aim of this study was to determine a therapeutic strategy accorded to each stenosis from clinical and anatomical features of 13 velopharyngeal stenosis. Therapeutic behavior was function of patients complains, of the ground (associated chronic rhinosinusitis and obstructive sleep apnea) and clinical findings (partial or total stenosis, tonsil remainders, short or long residual soft palate). From these data, treatment was medical (1 case) or surgical (12 cases), searching lateral velopharyngeal mucosa recovery in order to avoid recidive of stenosis. This aim needed locoregional mucosal grafts in 4 patients with short soft palate. Patients complains were improved in all cases and there was no patient with recurrence of stenosis. The best treatment of velopharyngeal stenosis still remains a preventive one, by respecting a severe surgical technique during pharyngotomy for chronic snoring.

[Treatment of simple snoring. Surgical pharyngoplasty vs. laser CO2 pharyngotomy]. / Traitement de la rhonchopathie simple. Pharyngoplastie chirurgicale versus pharyngotomie au laser CO2.

CO2 laser pharyngotomy is a newly described technique used in treatment bronchopathy without sleep apnea syndrome. Retrospective results of 70 CO2 laser pharyngotomies and 63 surgical pharyngoplasties are studied and compared. All patients were SAS free snoring patients. The results were rated satisfactory by 54% of the CO2 Laser treated patients against 78% for classical surgery. CO2 laser pharyngotomy is an easy procedure done in the office. The complication rate is very low. The predictive criteria upon which one can select the best procedure for each particular patient remain largely unknown.