Analysis of Upper Airway Flow Dynamics in Robin Sequence Infants Using 4-D Computed Tomography and Computational Fluid Dynamics.

ABSTRACT: Robin Sequence (RS) is a potentially fatal craniofacial condition characterized by undersized jaw, posteriorly displaced tongue, and resultant upper airway obstruction (UAO). Accurate assessment of UAO severity is crucial for management and diagnosis of RS, yet current evaluation modalities have significant limitations and no quantitative measures of airway resistance exist. In this study, we combine 4-dimensional computed tomography and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to assess, for the first time, UAO severity using fluid dynamic metrics in RS patients. Dramatic intrapopulation differences are found, with the ratio between most and least severe patients in breathing resistance, energy loss, and peak velocity equal to 40:1, 20:1, and 6:1, respectively. Analysis of local airflow dynamic

SUBMITTER: Barbour M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12145665 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature