A new telemedicine-based sleep service using WatchPAT ONE for patients with suspected OSA: what does the patient experience?

Purpose: Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a widespread disease but is very underdiagnosed and undertreated. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness and patient satisfaction of using the WatchPAT ONE, a disposable home sleep apnea test device, within a telemedicine-based management pathway.

Methods: All patients who used the telemedicine services for OSA diagnosis using the WatchPAT ONE were prospectively enrolled in the study.

The potential impact of new remodelling intrapharynegal OSA surgery on sleep architecture: a preliminary investigation.

Purpose: Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) often experience poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness, which significantly affect their daily lives. Among the therapeutic options, Barbed Pharyngoplasty (BP) is widely used, showing an overall improvement in the primary efficacy parameters. However, the impact of this surgical intervention on sleep architecture remains unclear.

International expert consensus statement: surgical failure in obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose: Upper airway (UA) surgery is commonly employed in the treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The intricate pathophysiology of OSA, variability in sites and patterns of UA collapse, and the interaction between anatomical and non-anatomical factors in individual patients may contribute to possible surgical failures. This clinical consensus statement aims to identify areas of agreement among a development group comprising international experts in OSA surgery, regarding the appropriate definition, predictive factors in patients, and management of surgical failure in OSA treatment.

Supine or non-supine sleep apnea events: which can be treated better with Barbed Pharyngoplasty?

Purpose: Among the treatment options for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), intrapharyngeal surgery has undergone significant changes and received solid scientific support. However, it is crucial to identify the best candidate. This study aims to present the results of the modified Alianza technique in our clinic to show the differences in the impact of surgery on supine and non-supine apnea levels in moderate-severe OSA patients.

The Potential Effect of Changing Patient Position on Snoring: A Systematic Review.

Approximately 45% of adults snore occasionally, and 25% snore regularly, with a higher prevalence in men and an increase among postmenopausal women due to hormonal changes. Snoring is a health concern linked to vascular disease and decreased quality of life for both snorers and their bed partners. Effective snoring treatment, which aims to reduce or eliminate the sound, is challenging and depends on factors like age, comorbidities, disease severity, and anatomical features.

Barbed Pharyngoplasty simulation using a 3D-printed model: design and validation study.

Purpose: Learning how to use barbed sutures and perform Barbed Pharyngoplasty (BP) is challenging due to limited surgical training opportunities. This work aims to design, develop, and validate a new 3D surgical simulator to train ENT residents and specialists in performing BP.

Methods: The Barbed Pharyngoplasty Simulator (BPS) was designed using diagnostic images of the facial mass and testing different materials to replicate the mucosal and bony tissues.

Platelet-Rich Plasma for Patients with Olfactory Dysfunction: Myth or Reality? A Systematic Review.

Background: With promising outcomes, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has recently been suggested as a treatment for olfactory dysfunction (OD).

Methods: Clinical studies utilizing PRP in OD caused by COVID-19, trauma, anesthetic exposure, viral infection, and chronic rhinosinusitis were included in a systematic review.

Results: Ten clinical studies were qualitatively analyzed.

Clinical Application of Pediatric Sleep Endoscopy: An International Survey.

Objectives: To investigate through an international survey the actual clinical application of drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) in pediatric patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to clarify the use, application, clinical indications, and protocol of pediatric DISE.

Methods: A specific survey about pediatric DISE was initially developed by five international otolaryngologists with expertise in pediatric sleep apnea and drug-induced sleep endoscopy and was later spread to experts in the field of sleep apnea, members of different OSA-related associations.

Results: A total of 101 participants who answered all the survey questions were considered in the study.

A Critical Analysis of Pharyngeal Patterns of Collapse in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Beyond the Endoscopic Classification Systems.

(1) Background: Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) enables the three-dimensional and dynamic visualization of the upper airway (UA) during sleep, which is useful in selecting the best treatment option for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, particularly for surgical procedures. Despite international consensus statements or position papers, a universally accepted DISE methodology and classification system remain a controversial open question. (2) Methods: A review of the English scientific literature on DISE related to endoscopic classification systems and surgical outcome predictors (3) Results: Of the 105 articles, 47 were included in the analysis based on their content's relevance to the searched keywords.

Defining Epiglottic Collapses Patterns in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients: Francia-Lugo Classification.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is characterized by repetitive collapse of the upper airway during sleep. Drug-Induced Sleep endoscopy (DISE) is used to identify the collapse site. Among the possible sites of collapse, the epiglottis occurs more frequently than previously described.

A New Lighting System for Surgical Vision Optimization in Barbed Pharyngoplasty for OSA.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) surgery is now a viable solution in selected patients and the "remodeling" palatopharyngeal surgery is the most common one. Recently, it has become less invasive with the introduction of barbed sutures (BS). An optimization of surgical techniques is represented by barbed pharyngoplasty (BP), which requires surgical precision and needs efficient and precise oropharyngeal visualization.

Randomized Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Tolerability of Nebulized Hyaluronic Acid and Xylitol Based Solution after Septoturbinoplasty.

Septoplasty and turbinate surgery are among the most frequent surgical procedures to improve nasal obstruction and quality of life. These procedures usually imply the presence of congestion, secretions, and crusting related to the movement of the instruments during surgery. However, the use of nasal lavage may reduce this situation.

Could the use of a new novel bipolar radiofrequency device (Aerin) improve nasal valve collapse? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Surgical treatment for nasal obstruction caused by nasal valve collapse requires a significant recovery period and risks of complications, while nasal dilators are uncomfortable. Recently, radiofrequency treatment of lateral walls has been used under local anesthesia as an office base surgery. This work aims to assess the efficacy of a new radiofrequency device, the Vivaer™ System (Aerin Medical, Sunnyvale, CA), to treat nasal obstruction through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Odontogenic Sinusitis with Oroantral Communication and Fistula Management: Role of Regenerative Surgery.

: The aim of this study is to show our experience with the correct management of patients suffering from odontogenic sinusitis with oroantral communication and fistula. : According to the inclusion criteria, 41 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study with a diagnosis of odontogenic sinusitis with oroantral communication and fistula; 1 patient with pre-implantological complication, 14 with implantological complications, and 26 with classical complications. : Two patients were treated with a fractioned combined approach, 13 patients were treated with an oral approach only, and 26 patients were treated with a combination.

Comparison of Intranasal Steroid Application Using Nasal Spray and Spray-Sol to Treat Allergic Rhinitis: A Preliminary Investigation.

Allergic Rhinitis (AR) is a chronic inflammatory disease of sino-nasal mucosa, is IgE-mediated, and affects 10-40% of the global population. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of nasal administration of Beclomethasone Dipropionate (BDP) delivered via Spray-sol with nasal spray in patients suffering from AR. We included 28 AR patients assigned to one of the two following treatments: the Spray-sol group (BDP via Spray-sol) ( = 13) and the spray group (BDP using a common nasal spray) ( = 15).

High-Definition 3D Exoscope-Assisted Barbed Pharyngoplasty for OSAS and Snoring: Better Than Live.

Recently, a high-definition 3D exoscope (VITOM), a new magnification system that provides a 3D image of the surgical field, has been introduced. This study aims to describe the first use of VITOM 3D technology in Barbed Pharyngoplasty (BP) for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). VITOM 3D technology is used to support visualization during BP in a male patient affected by severe OSA with a circular palatal collapse pattern at drug-induced sleep endoscopy.

Odontogenic Sinusitis from Classical Complications and Its Treatment: Our Experience.

Odontogenic sinusitis (ODS) refers to the maxillary sinus infection, which is secondary to either adjacent infectious dental pathologies or procedures. The aim of this retrospective study is to report the experiences of the department of integrated therapies in otolaryngology (Campus Bio-Medico Foundation, Rome, Italy) in classifying and treating patients that are affected by odontogenic sinusitis derived from "classic complications". A total of 68 patients responding to the criteria and to the definition as a classical odontogenic complication were included.

Barbed Pharyngoplasty for Snoring: Does It Meet the Expectations? A Systematic Review.

To date, the use of barbed sutures for the surgical management of patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea and snoring with retropalatal collapse and vibration has significantly increased. A systematic review was carried out, which included clinical studies that used barbed sutures for the treatment of snoring. A qualitative analysis, including six clinical studies, was conducted.

Does Frenotomy Modify Upper Airway Collapse in OSA Adult Patients? Case Report and Systematic Review.

Ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) is a condition of the oral cavity in which an abnormally short lingual frenulum affects the tongue's mobility. Literature on the correlation between ankyloglossia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is scarce. The main objective of this study was to report our preliminary experience in adult OSA patients before and after ankyloglossia treatment, using drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) to evaluate the upper airway modifications resulting after treatment, and to present a systematic review of the impact of ankyloglossia and its treatment on OSA adults.

Head-Of-Bed Elevation (HOBE) for Improving Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea (POSA): An Experimental Study.

Purpose: Evaluate the effectiveness of the head-of-bed elevation position (HOBE) with a 30° elevation of the head and trunk, in improving obstruction of the upper airways in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. A prospective trial simultaneously performing drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) and polysomnography (PSG) tests was performed. Methods: Forty-five patients were included in the prospective study protocol.

New diagnostic tools to screen and assess a still too underestimated disease: the role of the wrist-worn peripheral arterial tonometry device-a systematic review.

Purpose: Home sleep apnea testing devices aim to overcome the drawbacks of polysomnography (PSG). Among these, the WatchPAT (WP) (Itamar Medical Ltd., Caesarea, Israel) has recently been introduced on the market for diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).