Tonsillectomy as a treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in adults with tonsillar hypertrophy.

Objectives: High surgical success rates for adenotonsillectomy in children with sleep-related breathing disorders have been described in various studies. The purposes of the present study were to observe how often a substantial tonsillar hypertrophy is associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults and to evaluate the efficiency of a bilateral tonsillectomy.

Study Design: Data from a prospective study with 11 adults who underwent tonsillectomy as single treatment for sleep-related breathing disorders were evaluated based on the severity level of their preoperative apnea-hypopnea index (AHI).

Validation of the POLY-MESAM seven-channel ambulatory recording unit.

Study Objectives: To determine the recording capabilities of the POLY-MESAM (PM) unit (MAP; Martinsried, Germany), an American Sleep Disorders Association level III system, and to compare it with simultaneous 12-channel polysomnography in the sleep laboratory.

Measurements And Results: Fifty-three patients (49 men and 4 women) with obstructive sleep-related breathing disorders of varying severity were included. The apnea-hypopnea indexes (AHIs) obtained using the two methods differed significantly from each other, although the correlation was close.

[What are the side-effects of nocturnal continuous positive pressure ventilation (nCPAP) in patients with sleep apnea for the head-neck region?].

Background: Nasal continuous positive airway pressure ventilation therapy is the present gold standard in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Depending on the definitions used, about 60% of the patients tolerate nCPAP therapy. The reason for this limited tolerance is a varying number of side effects.

[Validating a 7-channel ambulatory polygraph unit. 2: Simultaneous polysomnography].

Purpose: For some time, the ambulatory diagnosis of respiratory disturbances during sleep has included the use of seven-channel recording units. One of these systems is the POLY-MESAM unit (MAP, Germany).

Methods: The aim of the present study was to validate the POLY-MESAM system by simultaneously performing 12-channel polysomnography.

[Validating a 7-channel ambulatory polygraphy unit. 1: Operating instructions for the physician and patient].

Purpose: For some time, the ambulatory diagnosis of sleep-related breathing disorders has included the use of seven-channel recording units. One such unit is the POLY-MESAM (MAP, Martinsried, FRG). The first part of the present study prospectively investigated the handling of the system for physicians and patients, its technical reliability, reliability of the software used and the results in comparison to handscoring.

[Obstructive sleep apnea and obstructing nasal polyps].

Background: Nasal obstruction may be a causative factor in the etiology of obstructive sleep apnea. No studies were found that dealt with the role of nasal polyps in sleep apnea.

Method: Two male patients, 69 and 44 years old, were examined in our clinic because of nasal polyps occluding the nasal cavity.

First results of a prospective study validating the method of ambulatory polysomnography using the POLY-MESAM unit.

Purpose: For some time, ambulatory diagnosis of respiratory disturbances during sleep has included the use of seven-channel recording units. One such unit is the POLY-MESAM (MAP, Martinsried, FRG). The present study prospectively investigated the operation of the unit by both physician and patient, the technical capacity of the unit, and the reliability of the automatic scoring of data by means of the accompanying software in comparison to scoring by hand.

Ventilation scintigraphy of the middle ear.

Unlabelled: In this study, an attempt was made to administer radioactive gas into the tympanic cavity to measure initial gas trappings as well as clearance from the middle ear to evaluate eustachian tube function.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients were administered 50 MBq 133Xe gas. Three different methods for gas application were tested: (a) direct injection through a tympanostomy tube in two patients, (b) administration through a nasopharyngeal catheter combined with Valsalva maneuvers in six subjects without middle ear dysfunction and (c) insufflation into the pharyngeal space through a nose olive performed in 12 patients with normal eustachian tube function and in eight patients with one-sided tube dysfunction.