Comparison of the Upper Pharyngeal Airway in Thai Children With or Without Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in the Supine Position

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate differences in the upper pharyngeal airway morphology between Thai children with repaired unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and Thai non-cleft children.

Methods: This prospective study used cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and polysomnography (PSG) studies. The subjects were 34 children with UCLP (21 males and 13 females; mean age 8.94±1.87); and 32 non-cleft children (20 males and 12 females; mean age 10.03±1.91). The Dolphin imaging software measured the volume and the most constricted cross-sectional airway (version 11.7 premium).

Results: An independent sample t-test showed that the differences between groups were significant. The means of oropharyngeal (p=0.003), hypopharyngeal (p=0.020), and total volume (p=0.013) in UCLP children were lower than those in non-cleft children. Furthermore, the most constricted axial area of the oropharyngeal airway in UCLP children was narrower than that in non-cleft children (p=0.004).

Conclusions: The volume and most constricted axial area of the upper pharyngeal airway in Thai UCLP children were significantly smaller than those in Thai non-cleft children.

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Wiwattanadittakul P, Chaiworawitkul M, Sonsuwan N, Prapayasatok S. Comparison of the Upper Pharyngeal Airway in Thai Children With or Without Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in the Supine Position: Original articles. CM Dent J [Internet]. 2023 Nov 16 [cited 2024 Apr 29];44(3):35-44. Available from: https://www.dent.cmu.ac.th/cmdj/frontend/web/?r=site/viewarticle&id=206

Wiwattanadittakul, P., Chaiworawitkul, M., Sonsuwan, N. & Prapayasatok, S. (2023). Comparison of the Upper Pharyngeal Airway in Thai Children With or Without Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in the Supine Position. CM Dent J, 44(3), 35-44. Retrieved from: https://www.dent.cmu.ac.th/cmdj/frontend/web/?r=site/viewarticle&id=206

Wiwattanadittakul, P., Chaiworawitkul Marasri,Sonsuwan Nuntigar and Prapayasatok Sangsom. 2023. "Comparison of the Upper Pharyngeal Airway in Thai Children With or Without Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in the Supine Position." CM Dent J, 44(3), 35-44. https://www.dent.cmu.ac.th/cmdj/frontend/web/?r=site/viewarticle&id=206

Wiwattanadittakul, P. et al. 2023. 'Comparison of the Upper Pharyngeal Airway in Thai Children With or Without Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in the Supine Position', CM Dent J, 44(3), 35-44. Retrieved from https://www.dent.cmu.ac.th/cmdj/frontend/web/?r=site/viewarticle&id=206

Wiwattanadittakul, P., Chaiworawitkul, M., Sonsuwan, N. and Prapayasatok, S. "Comparison of the Upper Pharyngeal Airway in Thai Children With or Without Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in the Supine Position", CM Dent J, vol.44, no. 3, pp. 35-44, Nov. 2023.

Wiwattanadittakul, P., Chaiworawitkul, M., Sonsuwan, N., et al. "Comparison of the Upper Pharyngeal Airway in Thai Children With or Without Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in the Supine Position." CM Dent J, vol.44, no. 3, Nov. 2023, pp. 35-44, https://www.dent.cmu.ac.th/cmdj/frontend/web/?r=site/viewarticle&id=206