Efficacy and safety of maxillomandibular advancement in treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome

To assess the effectiveness of maxillomandibular adavancement for treatment of adults with obstructive sleep apnoea, we report the results obtained after maxillomandibular advancement. A group of 16 patients were studied before surgery, at 6 months after surgery and at followup. The analysis included: upper airway endoscopy during Mueller's manoeuvre, lateral cephalometry, polysomnography and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. The results of surgical treatment were divided into "surgical success" and "surgical cure". The former was defined as an AHI < 20 events/hour and a > 50% reduction in AHI after surgical procedure, while the latter was defined as an AHI < 5 events/hour after surgical procedure. At follow-up, all patients had AHI < 20 events/hour with a surgical success rate of 100%. The surgical cure rate was 37.5%, with 6 patients having an AHI < 5 events/hour. Surgical success and long term stability of outcomes confirm the efficacy and safety of MMA for treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. However, a continuous follow-up of these patients is necessary to control their lifestyle and to detect possible relapse.