Lateral epiglottic collapse in obstructive sleep apnea is associated with laterally directed pharyngeal collapse

Epiglottic collapse can obstruct the airway in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients in an anteroposterior (E-ap) or lateral direction (E-lat). The present study investigates the concept that lateral or concentric pharyngeal collapse patterns may remodel the epiglottis and predispose it to lateral collapse. To do so, we hypothesized that the presence of-any form of laterally directed pharyngeal collapse, e.g., oropharyngeal lateral wall collapse (OLW) or complete concentric collapse of the soft palate (CCCp), is associated with increased odds for having concurrent lateral epiglottic collapse.