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BackgroundThe study was performed in order to determine the risk factors for difficult tracheal intubation in obstructive sleep apnea patients.MethodsFor 115 male patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and who were undergoing palatal muscle resection (PMR), we investigated the correlation between their age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), their Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), their apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), their neck circumference and the difficulty of tracheal intubation.ResultsThe factors significantly related to difficult tracheal intubation in obstructive sleep apnea patients were a high AHI and a large neck circumference. There was no significant correlation between weight, BMI, arterial hypertension, ESS and difficult tracheal intubation in obstructive sleep apnea patients.ConclusionsIn this study, a high AHI and a large neck circumference can predict difficult tracheal intubation in obstructive sleep apnea patients.