Clinical study on obstructive sleep apnea following pharyngeal flap surgery.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the incidence and severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in cleft patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) after pharyngeal flap surgery (PFS) and explore the influence of operation age.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 82 cleft patients after PFS. The patients were divided into two groups according to their age at the time of surgery. The incidence and severity of OSA were assessed at least 1.2 years (mean 6.0 years) postoperatively by polysomnography (PSG).

Results: The incidence rates of OSA were 20% in the adult group and 31% in the child group. No significant difference was found between the two groups (=0.289). Patients with OSA in the adult and child groups were classified into different levels of severity (mild, moderate, severe) according to the apnea hypoventilation index (AHI). No statistically significant difference in the severity of OSA was found between the two groups (=0.079).

Conclusions: Some patients still have OSA average of 6.0 years after PFS, and operation ageis unrelated to the incidence and severity of OSA.