Author(s)
Nicole Molin
Praneet C. Kaki
Erin Creighton
Maurits Boon
Colin Huntley
Affiliation(s)
Jefferson University Hospital;
Abstract:
Educational Objective: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants should be able to have insight into the relationship between therapeutic positive airway pressure and expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty outcomes.
Objectives: Expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty (ESP) is a treatment option for select patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who are intolerant to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Surgical success is dependent on patient selection and factors that contribute to this are evolving. We aim to evaluate the relationship between therapeutic positive airway pressure (PAP) level and surgical success of ESP.
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.
Methods: Patients included who underwent ESP at a single institution from 2014-2021 and had preoperative therapeutic PAP level data available from smart card download. Surgical success was defined as decrease in AHI by 50% and AHI < 15.
Results: 37 patients included, 81% male, mean age 48.5, preop AHI 27, BMI 30.3. Overall, there was no significant difference in therapeutic PAP level between surgical success and non-success groups. Using a therapeutic PAP level cut off of 8 and 9, there was no significant difference in surgical success at either cut off. Change in pre and postop AHI was also not significantly different at either PAP level cut off.
Conclusions: The current study suggests that therapeutic PAP level does not predict surgical success after ESP. Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to further evaluate this relationship and to evaluate additional variables that can help surgeons with patient selection for ESP.