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Chronic obstruction of the upper airways

Document
Last amended 
3 June 2015

Sleep apnoea - Chronic obstruction of the upper airways Factor

RMA definition: chronic obstruction of the upper airways "means ongoing obstruction at the level of the nose, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx or larynx".

Examples:

  • adenoidal hypertrophy (enlarged adenoids – adenoids are also known as the pharyngeal tonsil)
  • tumours
  • stenosis (narrowing of the airway or air passages)
  • congenital craniofacial anomalies
  • choanal atresia (congenital bony or membranous occlusion of one or both openings between the nasal cavity and the nasopharynx)
  • nasopharyngitis (inflammation of the nasopharynx)
  • allergic rhinitis
  • upper respiratory tract infections (because the SOP factor is for chronic obstruction, simple colds and other respiratory tract infections which are short lived are not included in the RMA definition)
  • nasal septal deviation
  • polyps
  • hypertrophied (enlarged) tonsils
  • lingular tonsillar hypertrophy (enlargement of the lingual tonsils which  are aggregations of lymph follicles on the floor of the oropharyngeal passageway, at the root of the tongue, commonly known as “the tonsils”)
  • macroglossia (enlarged tongue)
  • micrognathia (undue smallness of the jaws – may be micromandible (lower jaw) or micromaxilla (upper jaw))
  • retrognathia (retrusion of the mandible ie the lower jaw is abnormally placed backward) or
  • hypoplasia of the maxilla (underdevelopment or incomplete development of the upper jaw).

Last reviewed for CCPS 18 July 2005.

Investigative Documents

Type

Title

PDF Format

Word Format

Medical Report
Chronic Obstruction of the Upper Airways - Sleep Apnoea
MR9329.pdf
MR9329.docx
Preliminary questions [28029]

28030 the veteran has had chronic obstruction of the upper airways at some time.

28031 the veteran had chronic obstruction of the upper airways as a result of an illness or injury which is identifiable.

28032  the veteran has established the causal connection between the chronic obstruction of the upper airways and VEA service for sleep apnoea.

28033 as a consequence of the identified illness or injury, the veteran had chronic obstruction of the upper airways at the time of the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

28034   the veteran has established the causal connection between the chronic obstruction of the upper airways and VEA service for the clinical onset of sleep apnoea.

28039  the veteran has established the causal connection between the chronic obstruction of the upper airways and operational service for the clinical onset of sleep apnoea.

or

28040  the veteran has established the causal connection between the chronic obstruction of the upper airways and eligible service for the clinical onset of sleep apnoea.

or

7334     the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred after the end of the veteran's last period of VEA service.

7335     the condition under consideration permanently worsened.

28037 as a consequence of the identified illness or injury, the veteran had chronic obstruction of the upper airways at the time of the clinical worsening of the condition under consideration.

28038   the veteran has established the causal connection between the chronic obstruction of the upper airways and VEA service for the clinical worsening of sleep apnoea.

28041  the veteran has established the causal connection between the chronic obstruction of the upper airways and operational service for the clinical worsening of sleep apnoea.

or

28042  the veteran has established the causal connection between the chronic obstruction of the upper airways and eligible service for the clinical worsening of sleep apnoea.

Clinical onset and operational service [28039]

28043  the identified illness or injury which caused chronic obstruction of the upper airways is causally related to operational service.

Clinical onset and eligible service [28040]

28044  the identified illness or injury which caused chronic obstruction of the upper airways is causally related to eligible service.

Clinical worsening and operational service [28041]

28043  the identified illness or injury which caused chronic obstruction of the upper airways is causally related to operational service.

28045 the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred prior to that part of operational service to which the identified illness or injury which caused chronic obstruction of the upper airways is causally related.

Clinical worsening and eligible service [28042]

28044  the identified illness or injury which caused chronic obstruction of the upper airways is causally related to eligible service.

28046 the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred prior to that part of eligible service to which the identified illness or injury which caused chronic obstruction of the upper airways is causally related.