Modified Expansion Sphincter Pharyngoplasty (MESP) vs Modified Barbed Reposition Pharyngoplasty (MBRP): A Comparative Study for Single Level Palatal Surgeries

Background:  Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty is the most common surgical procedure used for management of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Recently, more conservative surgical techniques were used with promising results,and less morbidity. Objective: This study compares the results and outcomes of two surgical modalities for the retropalatal collapse in OSAS studied cases. We Compared modified expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty (MESP) with modified barbed reposition pharyngoplasty (MBRP). Methods: Forty studied cases with OSAS had been contained in this research, separated into 2 groups, with 20 studied cases for each group: MESP and MBRP. All enrolled patients had an apnea hypopnea index >fifteen. Only patients with oropharyngeal obstruction were comprised in our study. All studied cases underwent full clinical otolaryngology examination. Drug induce sleep endoscopy (DISE) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) were evaluated preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively. Results: According to Sher's criteria, we found a significant decrease in AHI and oropharyngeal blockage in both groups (p = 0.01), with a success rate of eighty-eight percent for MESP and eighty percent for MBRP. Conclusion: BRP and ESP appear to be effective for oropharyngeal obstruction as a single-level surgery. MESP patients showed a greater decrease at the hypopharyngeal level.