[Treatment of the sleep apnea syndrome by continuous positive pressure]

Six patients with severe sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS) were treated for one night by continuous positive pressure by the nasal route (PPC). The six patients tolerated the treatment well. During the course of the night, while receiving PPC, we noticed that in five patients there was a normalisation of the indices of apnoea, a disappearance of the episodes of desaturation and a re-organisation of sleep pattern. In one patient PPC was effective on obstructive apnoea, but did not make all mixed and central apnoea disappear. After a 4 or 5 day trial in hospital, 4 patients have now been treated at home for at least 6 months. PPC remains effective and well tolerated in the long term. As it is well tolerated and effective, PPC may be used to treat patients with SAS at an earlier stage than that at which tracheotomy is proposed.