ABSTRACT
As has been outlined in Chapter 1, the major structural components of the pharyngeal airway demonstrate clear abnormalities in patients with obstructive sleep apnea compared to normal. Nevertheless, one of the more intriguing aspects of this sleep disorder is the fact that many patients with more markedly narrowed airways (e.g., acromegaly, achondroplasia) do not necessarily succumb to recurrent upper airway collapse. Moreover, our understanding of the structural aspects of the pharynx and the surrounding tissues have derived primarily from studies during wakefulness.
