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Updated: May 29, 2026

Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Published on: December 6, 2016
Management of obstructive sleep apnea associated with Down syndrome and other craniofacial dysmorphologies
1Division of Respiratory Diseases, Center for Pediatric Sleep Disorders, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. dennis.rosen@childrens.harvard.edu
Insights
Screening for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children with Down syndrome is crucial. Advances in imaging and surgical techniques offer new treatment options beyond traditional methods.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Genetics and Rare Diseases
- Craniofacial Surgery
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in children with Down syndrome and craniofacial abnormalities, leading to adverse physical, developmental, and behavioral effects.
- Treatment of OSA in this population is challenging due to higher risks of surgical complications and lower success rates with adenotonsillectomy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current landscape of OSA treatment in children with Down syndrome and craniofacial abnormalities.
- To highlight emerging treatment modalities and diagnostic advancements for this specific patient group.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on OSA management in children with Down syndrome.
- Emphasis on advanced imaging techniques like dynamic cine MRI for precise obstruction localization.
- Discussion of alternative and advanced surgical and non-surgical interventions.
Main Results:
- Several alternative treatment options are emerging, offering viable alternatives to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and tracheostomy.
- Dynamic cine MRI enables precise identification of the obstruction level, facilitating targeted treatment strategies.
- Improved understanding of the unique challenges in treating OSA in this population.
Conclusions:
- Increased screening for OSA in children with Down syndrome and craniofacial abnormalities is recommended.
- Leveraging recent innovations in diagnostic imaging and surgical techniques can improve treatment outcomes for pediatric OSA.
Purpose Of Review:
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is very common in children with Down syndrome and other craniofacial abnormalities and causes significant deleterious physical, developmental, and behavioral outcomes. OSA in these individuals is generally more difficult to treat than in other children, because of increased postoperative complications and lower success rates for adenotonsillectomy, the mainstay of treatment for otherwise healthy children with OSA.
Recent Findings:
There is a growing number of treatment options for these children, which can provide an alternative to continuous positive airway pressure or tracheostomy. Through the use of dynamic cine MRI studies, the level of obstruction can be identified and treatment made more focused.
Summary:
Screening for OSA in this population should be increased, and utilization made of the recent advances in imaging and surgical technique to treat it.
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