title: [Postoperative management following rhinosurgery interventions in severe obstructive sleep apnea. A pilot study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treated by nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) often undergo rhinosurgery to improve nasal ventilation and comply with CPAP therapy. The use of nasal packing postoperatively may worsen the severity of their sleep-related breathing disorders, even leading to death. For this reason, postoperative surveillance with CPAP ventilation is recommended. An oral connection piece offers the possibility to continue CPAP therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients with OSA were enrolled in this pilot study. All patients underwent a septorhinoplasty with nasal packing for 2 days. CPAP ventilation was guaranteed postoperatively by using an oral connection piece. The object of the study was to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and acceptance of CPAP ventilation with this oral connection piece in patients with nasal packing. Therefore, the blood oxygenation of the patients was observed by pulse oximetry pre- and postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the patients with nasal packing showed apneas or hypopneas with arterial blood oxygen saturation below 92%. Application of oxygen was not necessary. Cardiorespiratory or neurological complications were not observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The oral connection piece offers a feasible and effective opportunity to continue CPAP ventilation therapy after rhinosurgery in patients with OSA. The acceptance of the method is satisfactory.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Ulm.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorn
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pirsig
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Verse
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010092:Oximetry; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012225:Rhinoplasty; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000601:surgery*