Mandible traction with wires for the treatment of upper airway obstruction caused by Pierre Robin sequence in Chinese infants: Preliminary findings

Abstract Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) is a congenital abnormality that may cause upper airway obstruction requiring surgical intervention. This preliminary study aimed to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of mandible traction with wires for the treatment of upper airway obstruction caused by PRS in Chinese infants. Measures of interest included transcutaneous oxygen saturation before and after surgery, duration of surgery and traction, complications, and CT findings. Seven infants were included in the study (mean birth weight: 2485 g, range: 2405–2570 g); four were born preterm and three were born full term. Mean age at surgery was 13.7 days (range: 2–28 days), mean duration of surgery was 16.6 min (range: 13–25 min) and mean duration of traction was 26.6 days (range: 21–35 days). Mean follow-up was 6.2 months (range: 1–11 months). No infant experienced severe complications. All infants experienced increases in transcutaneous oxygen saturation after surgery. Mean transcutaneous oxygen saturation was 82% before surgery and 98% after surgery. Follow-up morphology of the mandible was excellent. There was no upper airway obstruction, and short-term growth and development were satisfactory. These preliminary findings suggest that mandibular traction with wires may be an effective treatment for upper airway obstruction caused by PRS in Chinese infants.