Objective: To report our early experience evaluating the efficacy of genioglossus muscle advancement using the genioglossus bone advancement technique (GBAT) for symptomatic base of tongue obstruction and sleep-disordered breathing.
Study design: Retrospective, nonrandomized study.
Methods: Patient data were obtained from the hospital records of 13 patients undergoing genioglossus muscle advancement with the GBAT system.
Results: Thirteen patients underwent genioglossus muscle advancement with the GBAT system. All patients demonstrated greater than 75% obstruction at the base of the tongue as determined by preoperative Müller's manoeuvre. Nine patients demonstrated obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and four demonstrated severe upper airway resistance syndrome on nocturnal polysomnography. Postoperatively, all patients reported improvement of snoring and hypersomnolence and greater than 90% improvement of collapse at the base of the tongue. Minor complications (3/13) included haematoma and transient tooth paresthesia. There was one case of infection requiring plate removal and one case of airway obstruction secondary to angioedema.
Conclusions: Genioglossus muscle advancement using the GBAT system is a safe, simple, and rapid method for improving symptomatic base of tongue obstruction in sleep-disordered breathing.