Dr. Andrea De Vito
ENT Unit Director, Sleep Medicine • Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy
Dr. Andrea De Vito is one of Europe's foremost authorities on surgical and non-surgical management of sleep-disordered breathing. As Director of the ENT Unit at Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital in Forlì, Italy — part of the AUSL of Romagna health authority — he leads one of the continent's most active sleep surgery programs, with more than 9,000 surgical procedures performed across his career.
He holds a medical degree from the University of Pisa and a PhD in Sleep Medicine from the University of Bologna, making him one of the few ENT surgeons in Europe with doctoral-level credentials specifically in sleep science. This dual foundation in surgical technique and sleep medicine research gives Dr. De Vito a uniquely comprehensive clinical perspective: he understands both the anatomical causes of airway obstruction and the evidence base for each intervention.
Dr. De Vito has published more than 90 papers in peer-reviewed impact factor journals, spanning Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE), tongue base surgery, robotic airway procedures, and oral appliance therapy for sleep-disordered breathing. He co-authored the influential European Position Paper on Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (2017 Update), a globally cited reference document that defines the diagnostic standard for evaluating obstruction patterns before sleep surgery.
In 2024, Dr. De Vito served as a panel member on the multi-part European Consensus Statements on Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea — a landmark series covering definitions, diagnosis, surgical decision-making, and post-operative management. His involvement in setting evidence-based European standards for snoring and OSA treatment reflects his standing as one of the field's most influential clinical voices.
At the national level, Dr. De Vito chairs the scientific commission on sleep-disordered breathing for the Italian Association of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery (AOOI), providing clinical guidance that shapes ENT practice across Italy.
Credentials & Background
- MD, University of Pisa; PhD in Sleep Medicine, University of Bologna
- ENT Unit Director, Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital, Forlì, Italy
- 90+ peer-reviewed publications in sleep medicine and ENT
- Co-author, European Position Paper on Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (2017 Update)
- Panel member, 2024 European Consensus on Snoring & OSA (Parts 1–3)
- Chair, AOOI Scientific Commission on Sleep-Disordered Breathing
- 9,000+ surgical procedures including transoral robotic sleep surgery
- Expert in DISE, MAD therapy, and upper airway surgical management
PROFESSIONAL ENDORSEMENT
"The dual mandibular advancement and tongue stabilization mechanism addresses the two primary anatomical sites of pharyngeal collapse. From a surgical perspective, devices that work on multiple obstruction levels simultaneously produce significantly better outcomes than single-mechanism approaches."
— Dr. Andrea De Vito, MD, PhD — ENT Unit Director & Sleep Medicine Specialist, Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital, Italy
Areas of Expertise
Co-author of the European Position Paper defining global DISE standards for evaluating airway obstruction before sleep surgery.
Clinical and research expertise in mandibular advancement and tongue stabilization devices as first-line interventions for snoring and mild-to-moderate OSA.
9,000+ procedures including transoral robotic surgery, palatal procedures, and tongue base surgery for sleep-disordered breathing.
Panel member on the 2024 European Consensus Statements covering definitions, diagnosis, and surgical management of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea.
Clinical Perspective from Dr. De Vito
"In my surgical practice, the decision of whether to operate is fundamentally a decision about where in the upper airway obstruction is occurring and whether conservative interventions have been adequately tried. Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy gives us the roadmap, but the first stop on that roadmap, for the overwhelming majority of snorers, should be a well-fitted oral appliance. The evidence consistently shows that MAD therapy resolves snoring in a majority of patients and reduces the apnea-hypopnea index significantly in mild-to-moderate OSA. What matters clinically is not just the mechanism but the design quality — a device that combines mandibular advancement with tongue stabilization addresses obstruction at two levels simultaneously, which is precisely the anatomical rationale behind why combination devices outperform single-mechanism alternatives in my clinical experience."
— Dr. Andrea De Vito, MD, PhD
Related Reading
Explore articles reviewed by Dr. De Vito:
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How Mandibular Advancement Works
The biomechanics of jaw repositioning and how it opens the upper airway during sleep.
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MAD vs TSD Anti-Snoring Mouthpieces
Comparing mandibular advancement devices and tongue stabilizing devices — and why combining both produces better results.
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Snoring Surgery Options
A clinical overview of surgical interventions for snoring and when they are appropriate vs. conservative approaches.
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Anti-Snoring Mouthpiece Guide
Everything you need to know about choosing, fitting, and using an anti-snoring mouthpiece effectively.