Hyoid expansion with titanium plate and screw: a human cadaveric study using computer-assisted airway measurement.

Importance: Hyoid expansion with suspension can potentially increase the upper airway at the hypopharyngeal level, benefitting patients with sleep-related breathing disorder.

Objectives: To document the effect of hyoid expansion using titanium plate and screw on retrolingual hypopharyngeal airway dimension and to compare the airway dimension after isolated hyoid expansion with hyoid expansion + hyomandibular suspension.

Design: Anatomical cadaveric dissection study.