Assessment of Internal Nasal Dimensions of Individuals With Cleft Lip and Palate and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome by Computed Tomography

Objective: To evaluate nasal cavity (NC) dimensions of individuals with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and primary snoring, by tomographic image analysis, compared to individuals with OSA without CL/P (N-CL/P). Design: Cross-sectional and retrospective. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Participants: Patients were divided into 2 groups: (G1) CL/P + OSA or primary snoring, n = 11; (G2) N-CL/P + OSA, n = 13. Interventions: NC tomographic images were reconstructed using ITK-SNAP software, and measurements were obtained from these three-dimensional models using SpaceClaim software. Main Outcome Measures: Total NC volumes, right and left NC volumes, and volumes of the nostril to the nasal valve (V1) and from the nasal valve to the superior limit of the nasopharynx (V2), cross-sectional areas, and perimeters. Results: NC volumes (total, right, and left sides), V1, and V2, though smaller in the CL/P + OSA, did not differ significantly from the N-CL/P + OSA. Cross-sectional areas and perimeters of the superior limit of the nasopharynx, in the CL/P + OSA, presented significantly higher values compared to the N-CL/P + OSA (P <= .05). Conclusions: The internal nasal dimensions of patients with CL/P do not seem to be part of the etiopathogenesis, nor constitute a risk factor for OSA with greater severity, in this special group of patients.