title: Sleep apnea following percutaneous cervical cordotomy.
abstract: Sleep apnea (Ondine's Curse) is an uncommon but potentially fatal complication of percutaneous cervical cordotomy. The authors have had the opportunity to review the case histories of 6 patients who have died of sleep apnea following this procedure. In a series of 112 patients, 144 cervical percutaneous cordotomies were performed from 1977 to 1985--80 unilateral cordotomies and 32 staged bilateral cordotomies. Six (5%) patients died as the result of sleep apnea. Five patients (16%) died following bilateral cordotomy and one (1%) patient with pulmonary disease died following unilateral cordotomy. The clinical data of these 6 patients are presented and unique spinal cord pathology is described in this report. The pathophysiology of the sleep apnea syndrome is also discussed.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002818:Cordotomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology