Obstructive sleep apnea in patients with pharyngeal tumours

Six consecutive patients with pharyngeal tumours were investigated regarding disordered breathing during sleep. In addition to pulse oximetry, the investigations involved oral and nasal airflow as well as thoracic respiratory movements in four of the patients in whom the oxygen desaturation index (ODI, number of desaturations per hour of estimated sleep) was on average 24 (range 10-58). An almost total predominance of obstructive apnea was found in evaluated cases. In the 2 cases in whom only pulse oximetry was performed, numerous desaturations were found throughout the night (ODI 19 and 88, respectively). The overnight minimum oxygen saturation before treatment varied but was below 80% in 5 of the 6 patients (range less than 50-89%). On reinvestigation (n = 5) 3-4 months after treatment (radical surgery or, in one case, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)), desaturations were totally or almost totally abolished in all patients. It is concluded that the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome may be a common finding in patients with tumours in the pharyngeal region. Radical surgery and/or nasal CPAP may result in complete disappearance of the disordered breathing during sleep in these patients.