Dynamic Pharyngoscopy in Predicting Outcome of Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty for Moderate and Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea

We sought to determine whether preoperative fiberoptic pharyngoscopy (FOP) with Müller's maneuver (dynamic FOP) could be used to establish a subgroup of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients with better outcome after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP). Retrospective review of an observational cohort. Tertiary care referral center. Twenty-nine patients who underwent UPPP and nasopharyngeal surgery by one surgeon. The patients were divided into two groups based on the findings of preoperative dynamic FOP: group 1 (11 patients) had collapse of the velopharynx and the base of the tongue-epiglottis-hypopharynx (TEH) complex and group 2 (18 patients) had velopharyngeal collapse only. Surgical success was defined using a conventional definition (>50% reduction in the apnea-plus-hypopnea index [OAHI]), and a criterion for cure (>90% reduction in OAHI and postoperative OAHI