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Apnea and the elongated uvula.
1Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229-2899.
International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
|September 1, 1992
Summary
An elongated uvula can cause breathing problems like apnea and respiratory distress in infants. Surgical removal of the uvula resolved these airway symptoms in all reported cases.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Anatomy
Background:
- Respiratory distress and apnea are critical conditions in infants.
- The uvula's role in airway obstruction is not well-established.
Observation:
- Four infants presented with recurrent respiratory distress and apnea.
- In all cases, an elongated uvula was observed to intermittently obstruct the airway by contacting the epiglottis and vocal cords.
Findings:
- Resection of the elongated uvula successfully resolved all respiratory and apnea symptoms in the affected infants.
- The mechanism is hypothesized to involve intermittent laryngospasm triggered by uvula contact with the vocal cords.
Implications:
- Elongated uvula should be considered in the differential diagnosis for unexplained respiratory distress and apnea in infants.
- Uvuloplasty may be an effective treatment for specific cases of pediatric airway obstruction.