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Background: The retropalatal airway is one of the most collapsible sites during sleep in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).The primary anatomical contributors to increased collapsibility in the retropalatal segment remain unclear.Objectives: This study seeks to investigate how the balance between pharyngeal soft tissues and the bony enclosure influences retropalatal mechanical loads in patients with OSA.Methods: The segmental mechanical load of the retropalatal pharynx was determined by the regions critical closing pressure in 30 anesthetized, paralyzed and intubated subjects with OSA.