3^rd European Otolaryngology-ENT Surgery Conference

In this study, we investigated changes in upper airway volume, to test the hypothesis that the upper airway can be nonsurgically remodeled in adult patients with sleep disordered breathing. After obtaining informed consent, we undertook a 3D cone-beam CBCT scans of 56-year-old male patient, who was diagnosed with mild obstructive sleep apnea by a sleep specialist. Volumetric 3D reconstruction of the upper airway on the CBCT scan was undertaken, and the upper airway volume was found to be 4.7cm3 with a minimum cross-sectional area of 73mm2. The patient was treated using an FDA approved, biomimetic oral device (DNA appliance®, Vivos BioTechnologies, Inc., USA). The active treatment time was approximately 18 months. The patient was followed for a further 5.5 yrs when a follow up 3D cone-beam CBCT scan was undertaken. The results showed that the upper airway volume increased to 31.8 cm3 and the minimum cross-sectional area had increased to 526 mm2 with no device in the patient’s mouth when the CBCT scan was taken. We conclude that biomimetic oral appliance therapy may be able to non-surgically remodel the upper airway in adult patients diagnosed with sleep disordered breathing.