TGlossoptosis (posterior displacement of the tongue) during sleep: A frequent cause of sleep apnea in pediatric patients referred for dynamic sleep fluoroscopy
Lf. Donnelly et al., TGlossoptosis (posterior displacement of the tongue) during sleep: A frequent cause of sleep apnea in pediatric patients referred for dynamic sleep fluoroscopy, AM J ROENTG, 175(6), 2000, pp. 1557-1559
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
Radiology ,Nuclear Medicine & Imaging","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
OBJECTIVE, The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of gloss
optosis (posterior displacement of the tongue) as a cause of sleep apnea in
pediatric patients referred for fluoroscopic sleep studies.
MATERIALS AND METHODS, Seventy consecutive dynamic fluoroscopic sleep studi
es performed to evaluate sleep apnea were reviewed. All patients had been s
edated and examined with lateral fluoroscopy during sleep. Anatomic changes
in the airway were correlated with episodes of oxygen desaturation. Cases
of glossoptosis, in which the tongue moved posteriorly during sleep and abu
tted the posterior pharynx, resulting in airway obstruction and oxygen desa
turation, were identified. Associated factors were reviewed.
RESULTS. Of 70 sleep studies reviewed, glossoptosis was the cause of airway
obstruction in 17 patients (24%). Mean age in these 17 patients was 3 year
s (range, 5 days to 13 years). Seven of the 17 children were younger than 1
year old. Only three patients had no underlying medical problems. Four pat
ients had macroglossia (Down syndrome, n = 3; duplicated tongue, n = 1) as
a cause, and three patients had micro- or retrognathia (Pierre Robin syndro
me, n = 2; Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, n = 1) as a cause. Six patients had n
euromuscular abnormalities.
CONCLUSION. Glossoptosis was a cause of airway obstruction in 25% of pediat
ric patients referred for fluoroscopic sleep studies. Attention to this ana
tomic region is important when evaluating children with sleep apnea.