www.PRSJournal.com 1433
P
ierre Robin sequence, defined by the triad
of micrognathia, glossoptosis, and airway
obstruction,
1
results from failure of anterior
and inferior mandibular growth. The mandible is
the primary skeletal support for the position of the
tongue, and this failure of growth causes superior
and posterior displacement of the tongue. Air-
way obstruction is the end result and cleft palate
commonly occurs as the palatal shelves are pre-
vented by the tongue from descending and fus-
ing to form the secondary palate. These patients
may exhibit a constellation of findings, includ-
ing persistent inspiratory stridor, severe sternal
retraction, and poor feeding. They may also have
laboratory findings of hypoxia, hypercarbia, and
acidosis. Although mortality occurring as a result
Disclosure: The authors have no financial interest
to declare in relation to the content of this article.
Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000000225
Roberto L. Flores, M.D.
Sunil S. Tholpady, M.D.,
Ph.D.
Shawkat Sati, M.D.
Grant Fairbanks, M.D.
Juan Socas, M.D.
Matthew Choi, M.D.
Robert J. Havlik, M.D.
Indianapolis, Ind.; Amman, Jordan;
Salt Lake City, Utah; Milwaukee, Wis.;
and Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Background: The authors present an outcomes analysis of mandibular
distraction osteogenesis versus tongue-lip adhesion in the surgical treatment
of Pierre Robin sequence.
Methods: A retrospective, 15-year, single-surgeon review was undertaken of all
nonsyndromic neonates with Pierre Robin sequence treated with mandibular
distraction osteogenesis (2004 to 2009; n = 24) or tongue-lip adhesion (1994 to
2004; n = 15). Outcomes included time of extubation, length of intensive care
unit stay, incidence of tracheostomy, and surgical complications. Polysomnog-
raphy data were collected 1 month and 1 year postoperatively. Sleep study data
included changes in oxygen saturation and apnea-hypopnea index.
Results: There were no postprocedure tracheostomies in the mandibular
distraction osteogenesis group and four tracheostomies in the tongue-lip
adhesion group. The preoperative oxygen saturations were significantly
lower in the mandibular distraction osteogenesis group compared with
tongue-lip adhesion (76.5 percent versus 82 percent; p < 0.05). Preopera-
tive apnea-hypopnea index was significantly higher in the mandibular dis-
traction osteogenesis group compared with the tongue-lip adhesion group
(47 versus 37.6; p < 0.05). Despite these preoperative differences, patients
undergoing mandibular distraction osteogenesis demonstrated significantly
higher oxygen saturation levels at 1 month (98.3 percent versus 87.5 per-
cent; p < 0.05) and 1 year postoperatively (98.5 percent versus 89.2 percent;
p < 0.05) and lower apnea-hypopnea index at 1 month (10.9 versus 21.6;
p < 0.05) and 1 year postoperatively (2.5 versus 22.1; p < 0.05) compared
with tongue-lip adhesion. Surgical complications were comparable between
the two groups.
Conclusions: In nonsyndromic patients with Pierre Robin sequence, mandibu-
lar distraction osteogenesis demonstrates superior outcome measures regard-
ing oxygen saturation, apnea-hypopnea index, and incidence of tracheostomy
compared with tongue-lip adhesion. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 133: 1433, 2014.)
CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.
From the Division of Plastic Surgery, Riley Hospital for Chil-
dren, Indiana University Medical Center; private practice;
the Division of Plastic Surgery, McMaster University; and
the Department of Plastic Surgery, Medical College of Wis-
consin.
Received for publication August 1, 2013; accepted Novem-
ber 6, 2013.
The Surgical Correction of Pierre Robin
Sequence: Mandibular Distraction Osteogenesis
versus Tongue-Lip Adhesion
PEDIATRIC/CRANIOFACIAL