Resolution of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome after adenoidectomy in congenital central hypoventilation syndrome

We report on a 2½‐year‐old boy who is currently ventilated at home by positive pressure ventilation through a nasal mask during the night because of congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS). Up to age 2 he had developed normally. A reevalution was performed because of symptoms suggestive of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), including snoring, nocturnal sweating, frequent nighttime awakenings, speech impairment, daytime fatigue, and failure to thrive. A sleep study indicated obstructive apnea episodes lasting up to 40 s and arterial desaturations below 50% during spontaneous sleep. During mechanical ventilation snoring persisted, and capillary PCO2 rose to 60 mm Hg. Partial upper airway obstruction, leaking around the mask, and arousal movements developed on passive flexion of the neck to 20°. After adenoidectomy, symptoms of OSAS resolved. There were no more obstructive apneas during spontaneous sleep, but obstructive apneas could be provoked by neck flexion to 20°. During ventilation, neck flexion of 20° was tolerated, but a 40° flexion led to partial obstruction. In CCHS patients, the problem of upper airway obstruction is rarely noted because most patients are ventilated through a permanent tracheostomy. Today, noninvasive ventilation strategies are becoming more common. Reduced activity of upper airway muscles and impaired reflex mechanisms could lead to upper airway obstruction during face mask positive pressure ventilation in children with CCHS. Enlarged adenoids worsened this problem in our patient, leading to insufficient ventilation and OSAS. Adenoidectomy resolved symptoms of OSAS and enabled successful nasal mask ventilation. Close follow‐up of the patient avoided hypoxia and sequelae from OSAS such as pulmonary hypertension. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1999;27:341–346. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.