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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
07:54
Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE) with Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) and Bispectral Analysis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Published on: December 6, 2016
Summary
A young woman experienced daytime sleepiness, prolonged apnea, and heart block. Further episodes of bradycardia and AV block occurred, unresponsive to atropine, prompting electrophysiologic studies.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sleep Medicine
- Neurology
Background:
- A 23-year-old female presented with excessive daytime sleepiness.
- Initial evaluation revealed prolonged apnea and asystole with second-degree heart block.
Observation:
- The patient underwent a tracheostomy and initially improved.
- Six months later, she developed severe headache and visual blurring.
- An ECG showed sinus bradycardia with prolonged sinus pauses and AV block.
Findings:
- Sleep study demonstrated significant apneic events and asystole.
- Electrophysiologic studies were performed to investigate recurrent cardiac arrhythmias.
- Atropine was ineffective in managing the bradycardia and AV block.
Implications:
- This case highlights a complex interplay between sleep disturbances and cardiac arrhythmias.
- Understanding the underlying mechanisms is crucial for effective management of such patients.
- Further research into the neuro-cardiac axis in sleep disorders is warranted.
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