Obstructive sleep apnea: A study by simultaneous polysomnography and ultrasonic imaging

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with major morbidity and daytime somnolence.1 Location of the obstruction cannot be determined by polysomnography, thereby contributing to variance in cure rates for surgical procedures such as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP).2,3 There is no clinically accepted, comfortable, and noninvasive method for visualizing the airway during sleep. Ultrasonic imaging of the airway is an established method used in the evaluation of swallowing.4,5 It is a dynamic, safe method, permitting the noninvasive visualization of soft-tissue structures of the pharynx.5 Ultrasound has never been used in the evaluation of OSA. Five male subjects age 35 to 57 years with OSA underwent this procedure. All subjects had apnea indices greater than 35. One subject had undergone unsuccessful UPPP in the past, and all subjects were using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) at home. Video output from …