Wasey W, Saleh S, Manahil N, Mohammed A, Wasey N. Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Hidden Etiology of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
Cureus 2022;
14:e22185. [PMID:
35308725 PMCID:
PMC8925988 DOI:
10.7759/cureus.22185]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a common variant of sleep-disordered breathing, is characterized by repeated complete or partial collapse of upper airways during sleep, leading to oxyhemoglobin desaturations. The obstruction may be iatrogenically induced in patients undergoing Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF). Damage to the pharyngeal plexus during the procedure may predispose to a new collapse of the upper airway, and the placement of the hardware for the fusion may lead to further narrowing of the upper airway. Literature does not exist associating this possible etiology prospectively. The association of ACDF and OSA has only been retrospectively documented by Guiilleminault and associates. We are reporting a case of a 49-year-old female who was evaluated pre and post surgery and established the evidence of worsening OSA in a patient who underwent ACDF.
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