SLEEP DISORDERS IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE NASAL OBSTRUCTION DUE TO SEPTAL DEVIATION

The role of nasal obstruction in etiology of the sleep apnea disease i s controversal in literature. Forty-six subjects (3 women, 43 men) wit h severe nasal obstruction due to septal deviation were evaluated. The examination included case history, clinical ORL examination by ENT sp ecialist, rhinomanometry and whole night sleep recording (SCSB, oxymet ry, EKG). Mean age of the patients was 40.0 years (from 17 to 68 years ) and body mass index 26.0 kg/m(2) (from 20.3 to 34.6 kg/m(2)). The ch ief complaint of the patients was a severe nasal obstruction. Thirty-o ne patients (67%) had also heavy disturbing snoring, and apnea periods during sleep were reported by 10 cases. The evaluation of the sleep r ecordings revealed 12 cases with partial upper airway obstruction (26% ), 1 case with severe airway obstruction, 1 case with mixed type of ob structive apnea and 3 cases with periodic limb movements. Evaluation o f the oxygen desaturation of the blood revealed only 6 cases with sign ificant disturbance (pO(2) below 90% level). As a final result we conc lude that severe nasal obstruction can lead to breathing disturbance d uring sleep.