Hooking of the Soft Palate and a Large Cervical Osteophyte: Two Troubles in the Same Airway

Abstract We report a case of severe obstructive sleep apnea in a 72-year-old, thin male caused by upper airway obstruction due to an enlarged cervical osteophyte at the C2-C3 level in association with a hooking of the soft palate. This is the first reported case with magnetic resonance imaging recognizing 2 simultaneously existing unusual obstructive causes: the oropharynx (hooking palate) and the hypopharynx (large cervical osteophyte).