title: Continuous positive airway pressure is effective in treating upper airway oedema.
abstract: The case of a patient with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and upper airway oedema, is described. The patient presented with alveolar hypoventilation and obstructive apnoeas during sleep. Intravenous steroids (methylprednisolone, 160 mg.day-1) for 5 days did not reduce the oedema. However, it was rapidly reversed by the use of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP). In addition, daytime pulmonary gas exchange was improved and sleep apnoea abolished. This beneficial effect made tracheostomy unnecessary. This case report suggests that CPAP can be a potentially useful therapeutic alternative to tracheostomy in the clinical management of upper airway oedema.
authors.affiliation: Servei of Pneumologia, Hospital Univ. Son Dureta, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barbé
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pons
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Togores
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sauleda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Agustí
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D006801:Humans; D015576:Hyperostosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007819:Laryngeal Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D011859:Radiography