Study objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in children with Syndromic Craniosynostosis (SC). The efficacy of Fort III procedure in managing OSA in children with SC remains a subject of ongoing debate. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of Le Fort III procedure in the management of OSA in children with SC.
Methods: A retrospective study was performed in children with SC and OSA diagnosed by polysomnography (PSG), which was defined as an apnea and hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 1. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were those who underwent Le Fort III surgery and had both baseline PSG and follow-up sleep studies. Relevant clinical and demographic data were collected from all subjects who participated in the study.
Results: Overall, forty-five OSA children with SC were identified, with a mean age of 6.8 ± 4.7 years. Twenty-five received the Le Fort III procedure and follow-up sleep studies. The Le Fort III procedure resulted in a significant reduction in AHI (6.0 [2.6, 10.1] versus 37.6 [20.9, 48.0] events/h; P < 0.001). However, normalization of OSA was only achieved in one patient (4%).
Conclusions: The Le Fort III procedure is efficacious in the treatment of OSA in children with SC. However, despite the observed improvement, residual OSA following treatment remains common.
Keywords: Le Fort III procedure; obstructive sleep apnea; polysomnography; syndromic craniosynostosis.
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