Comparison of Pre- and Postoperative Sleep Studies in Patients Undergoing Sphincter Pharyngoplasty:

Objective:To determine if sphincter pharyngoplasty changes sleep study parameters on patients undergoing surgery for velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI).Design:Retrospective chart review on patients undergoing sphincter pharyngoplasty for VPI with pre- and postoperative polysomnography completed.Setting:Institutional study at a tertiary pediatric hospital.Patients:All patients who underwent sphincter pharyngoplasty over a 20-year period were reviewed; all patients with both pre- and postoperative sleep studies were collected for evaluation.Interventions:Sphincter pharyngoplasty for patients with VPI.Main Outcome Measure:Sleep study parameters collected include apnea–hypopnea index (AHI), obstructive and central apneas, hypopneas, and mixed events. The preoperative values were compared to postoperative values.Results:There were 98 patients collected with sleep studies for review. Of these, 32 patients had both pre- and postoperative sleep studies. The AHI increased from 1.8 preoperatively to a postoperative...