Sleep apnea syndrome and supraglottic edema

Obstructive sleep apnea is becoming more widely recognized. Otolaryngologists will be called upon to evaluate affected patients and offer consultation as to the appropriateness of surgical intervention. The extent to which this syndrome is attributable to edema of the larynx and hypopharynx is unknown. It may, on occasion, explain chronic fatigue, weight loss, and daytime somnolence seen in some patients following irradiation of the head and neck. Sleep apnea associated with upper airway obstruction can be confirmed by polysomnography during sleep. Monitoring the EEG, electro-oculogram, electromyogram, ECG, airflow, and respiratory effort allows differentiation of obstructive sleep apnea from central or mixed apnea. Once the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea is established, treatment consists of correcting the airway obstruction.