Obstructive sleep apnea induced by a parapharyngeal cystic hygroma in an infant.
A 7-week-old infant with severe sleep apnea underwent polysomnography that revealed as many as 455 obstructive apneas per night; the apneic episodes had a mean duration of 34 s. A growing tumor in the neck, a parapharyngeal cystic hygroma, was discovered and surgically removed. The infant's condition improved dramatically, and a follow-up polygraphic recording was normal. During the following 10 months the child's condition remained stable. The case reported illustrates a rare cause of severe sleep obstructive apnea. It also reinforces the need for a complete medical approach to the diagnosis and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in infants.
D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008202:Lymphangioma / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D010614:Pharynx; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000209:etiology*; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000209:etiology