Mandibular lengthening by distraction for airway obstruction in treacher-collins syndrome: the long-term results.

Mandibular lengthening by distraction was performed in a 6-year-old severely affected Treacher-Collins syndrome patient who was tracheostomy dependent. As previously reported, this procedure permitted tracheostomy removal once distraction was complete. Now that the patient is skeletally mature, the long-term results of this intervention are reported with regard to his clinical outcome and an assessment of the anatomical changes in the upper airway during growth. Although the distraction could be considered a success in that it enabled permanent decannulation and improved the minimum cross-sectional area of the upper airway, there was no further increase in the minimum cross-sectional area of the upper airway during childhood growth. It is significant that the abnormal growth pattern of the mandible, which is characteristic of this syndrome, did not alter from its preoperative pattern once distraction was completed.