Obstructive sleep apnea does occur even more frequently in people with Down syndrome than in the general population. A little over 50% of all people with Down syndrome experience obstructive sleep apnea, and some physicians advocate routine testing of this group.In other craniofacial syndromes, the abnormal feature may actually improve the airway, but its correction may put the person at risk for obstructive sleep apnea after surgery when it is modified. Cleft palate syndromes are such an example. During the newborn period, all humans are obligate nasal breathers. The palate is both the roof of the mouth and the floor of the nose. Having an open palate may make feeding difficult, but generally, does not interfere with breathing, in fact, if the nose is very obstructed, then an open palate may relieve breathing. There are a number of clefting syndromes in which the open palate is not the only abnormal feature; additionally, there is a narrow nasal passage – which may not be obvious. In such individuals, closure of the cleft palate – whether by surgery or by a temporary oral appliance – can cause the onset of obstruction. Skeletal advancement in an effort to physically increase the pharyngeal airspace is often an option for craniofacial patients with upper airway obstruction and small lower jaws (mandibles). These syndromes include Treacher Collins syndrome and Pierre Robin sequence. Mandibular advancement surgery is one of the modifications needed to improve the airway, others may include reduction of the tongue, tonsillectomy or modified uvulopalatoplasty.
In much the same way, a narrow upper jaw will also contribute to OSA due to its relation to airway volume. A more narrow upper jaw results in more narrow nasal passages and a more narrow throat, this also appears to be why so many OSA patients experience nasal congestion especially while lying down. Maxillofacial surgeons see many effects of small lower jaws, including crowded teeth, malocclusions, as well as OSA – all of which are treatable by surgical operations that increase and normalise jaw size. Operations such as custom BIMAX, GenioPaully, and IMDO (in adolescence) offer a valid medical option that replaces all traditional forms of OSA treatment – including CPAP, Mandibular Advancement Splints, tonsillectomy and UPPP. There are patterns of unusual facial features that occur in recognizable syndromes. Some of these craniofacial syndromes are genetic, others are from unknown causes. In many craniofacial syndromes, the features that are unusual involve the nose, mouth, and jaw, or resting muscle tone, and put the individual at risk for OSA syndrome. Down syndrome is one such syndrome. In this chromosomal abnormality, several features combine to make the presence of obstructive sleep apnea more likely. The specific features of Down syndrome that predispose to obstructive sleep apnea include relatively low muscle tone, narrow nasopharynx, and large tongue. Obesity and enlarged tonsils and adenoids, conditions that occur commonly in the western population, are much more likely to be obstructive in a person with these features than without them.