title: Consider obstructive sleep apnea in patients with oropharyngeal vascular malformations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with oropharyngeal vascular malformations with complaints of upper airway obstruction were referred to a sleep specialist to investigate the existence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Demography, complaints, localization, and extent of the malformation were noted. The Epworth Sleeping Scale (ESS) and a polysomnography were performed to analyze the existence of OSA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients with vascular malformations in the upper oropharyngeal tract were referred, with a mean age of 49 years (range, 20-77 years). The male: female ratio was 7:6. In 2 patients the ESS was missed, and in the other 11 patients the mean ESS was 11.7 (range, 4-23). After polysomnography, 11 of the 13 patients (85%) were diagnosed with OSA, of whom 7 patients had severe OSA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with oropharyngeal vascular malformations with complaints of upper airway obstruction have a high risk of OSA, and should be referred to a sleep specialist.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic-Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: f.jolink@amc.uva.nl.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jolink
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: van Steenwijk
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic-Reconstructive and Hand Surgery, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van der Horst
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009960:Oropharynx; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000379:methods; D012890:Sleep; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); Oropharyngeal malformations; Vascular malformation; Venous malformation