Comparison of upper-airway evaluations during wakefulness and sleep.

The location of upper-airway obstruction during sleep has been predicted by using waking measures that include physical examination and endoscopic Müller's maneuver. However, this prediction remains speculative. To objectively evaluate these clinical measures, 22 patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea had upper-airway studies during nonsedated sleep with solid-state manometry and videoendoscopy. Objective tongue-base obstruction was measured with four methods, each identifying a different aspect of airway collapse during sleep. Manometry identified tongue obstruction during (1) early and (2) late inspiration, and videoendoscopy identified severe collapse without complete obstruction during (3) late inspiration, and (4) expiration. Twenty-eight waking upper-airway characteristics measured at waking clinical and endoscopic examination were then compared between patients with and without tongue-base segment obstruction to identify characteristics that would discriminate tongue-base obstruction. The results demonstrated that tongue-base/hypopharyngeal pathology during wakefulness was present on clinical examination in 19 of 22 (86%) patients. Objectively, during sleep tongue-base obstruction occurred on manometric early inspiration in 5 of 21 (24%) patients, on manometric late inspiration in 11 of 21 (52%), on endoscopic late inspiration in 14 of 19 (74%), and on endoscopic expiration in 8 of 19 (42%). Patients with tongue-base obstruction during sleep were primarily discriminated on waking examination by nonobstructive upper oropharyngeal features (p < 0.10). Near-total collapse of the tongue base on supine endoscopy was the only characteristic associated with tongue-base obstruction during sleep. Müller's maneuver did not discriminate patient groups. Results indicate that the incidence of tongue-base abnormalities measured during sleep varies significantly depending on the measure used. This variability may contribute to variability in surgical success rates. Identification of airway pathology relevant to sleep-related breathing disorders may require new methods of evaluation and a better understanding of upper-airway biomechanics.

Manometric and endoscopic localization of airway obstruction after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.

The most widely reported surgical procedure for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. The success rate for this procedure is variable, and the reason for failure is incompletely understood. Failure in some patients is postulated to result from tongue-base obstruction. To investigate this, we identified the level of collapse and obstruction in 11 cases of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty failure, using upper airway manometry and videoendoscopy, while patients slept. Airway manometry measured the initial level of complete obstruction. Videoendoscopy identified significant resting airway narrowing (> 75%) at the tongue base on obstructed compared with nonobstructed breaths. Results of manometry indicated that the palate was the primary level of obstruction in eight (73%) compared with the tongue base in three (27%). However, collapse on videoendoscopy at the tongue base was observed in an additional three patients. A total of six patients (54%) demonstrated significant tongue-base abnormalities. In six patients with uvulopalatopharyngoplasty as the only pharyngeal surgery, one (17%) has an obstruction at the tongue base, as measured with manometry. Three of the six also had collapses at the tongue base, as measured endoscopically. Tongue-based abnormalities were identified in four of six (67%). Two additional patients who had failed uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and transpalatal advancement pharyngoplasty had obstructions on manometry at the level of tongue base. Six of eight (75%) palatopharyngoplasty failures demonstrated tongue-base collapse. In the three patients with tongue-base surgery, all had obstructions on manometry at the palate and none had endoscopic tongue-base collapse. These results indicate that in most uvulopalatopharyngoplasty failures the initial level of obstruction occurs at the palate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A multisensor solid-state pressure manometer to identify the level of collapse in obstructive sleep apnea.

The cause of failure after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) in idiopathic obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is poorly understood, but has been speculated to be due, in part, to persistent collapse in the lower oropharynx. In order to determine the specific level of upper airway obstruction during sleep, a multisensor pressure catheter has been developed with five solid-state ultraminiature sensors. Four sensors in the pharynx simultaneously measure multiple pressure levels, with no need to move the catheter during sleep. One distal esophageal port measures the respiratory effort. To evaluate the use of this catheter, manometry in twelve patients was reviewed and compared the use of this catheter, manometry in twelve patients was reviewed and compared to simultaneous videoendoscopy. The initial site of obstruction was the palate in nine patients (75%) and the tongue base in three (25%). Three patients with initial obstruction at the palate manometrically demonstrated distal obstruction on subsequent occluded breaths. Furthermore, simultaneous videoendoscopy in four patients with a palatal level of obstruction also identified marked near-total visual collapse without obstruction of the lower oropharynx that was not identified by pharyngeal manometry. The endoscopy revealed that at the initial site of obstruction, collapse appeared to have occurred passively during expiration and not on inspiration. Inferior to the site of manometric obstruction, collapse occurred during inspiration associated with increased negative inspiratory pressures. These results demonstrate that a multisensor pressure catheter can objectively identify the level of obstruction during sleep.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Intracerebral hemorrhage and vasculitis related to ephedrine abuse.

Intracerebral hemorrhage occurred in a 20-year-old man following self-administration of ephedrine. Changes seen on cerebral angiography were typical of vasculitis, and immune complex deposition was found in a skin biopsy. This combination has not previously been reported with ephedrine abuse although it is well known with amphetamine abuse.