Sleep apnea in normal subjects following mandibular osteotomy with retrusion

Two women, 43 and 46 years old, weighing respectively 51 kg and 49 kg, underwent mandibular osteotomy with retrusion, after which they began to snore heavily at night. The initial events were central; obstructive apneic and hypopneic events, documented by polysomnography, developed over time. When patient 2 was on her back, she frequently had central apneas (identified by esophageal pressure monitoring) preceded by increasing swings in pressure, indicative of increased airway resistance without oxygen desaturation.