ABSTRACT
After the limitations of the initial hyoid expansion described by Patton et al. in human subjects, Riley et al. described a hyoid advancement and suspension procedure (4). The hyoid bone is mobilized and suspended to the anterior mandible (Fig. 2). A variety of techniques and substances were attempted. The final material selected to suspend the hyoid bone reliably to the anterior aspect of the mandible was fascia lata. This procedure was effective in treating SDB patients. The technique was abandoned because of the increased risk of anterior mandibular fracture when performed with a mandibular osteotomy, extensive dissection in the submental region, and the need to harvest fascia lata from the lateral thigh. A modification was designed to suspend and advance the intact hyoid bone anteriorly and inferiorly to the superior aspect of the thyroid cartilage (Fig. 3) (5). A recent modification of the hyoid suspension procedure divided the hyoid bone in the midline and suspended the hyoid bone to the anterior body of the mandible using Repose tongue suspension equipment.
