ABSTRACT
Obstructive sleep disordered breathing (OSDB) results from anatomical upper airway abnormalities and changes in neural activation mechanisms intrinsic to sleep causing hypotonia of the pharyngeal dilator muscles (1). Surgical correction of the obstruction requires accurate identification of the obstructive process and a thorough knowledge of the anatomy and function of the site to allow the surgeon to create a physiologic airway when medical therapy has failed. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the anatomy of these structures as they relate to surgical treatment of upper airway obstruction during sleep. As our knowledge of the anatomic and physiologic functions of the upper airway expands, so will the treatment options to produce minimally invasive procedures to obtain functional and long-lasting results.
