Resolution of obstructive sleep apnea after microvascular brainstem decompression. 1995

R M Hoffman, and R A Stiller
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Lesions of the brainstem have been associated with obstructive sleep apnea in previous reports. We now report a case in which retromastoid craniectomy with microvascular decompression of the medulla and ninth and tenth cranial nerves resulted in the complete resolution of severe obstructive sleep apnea. Possible mechanisms for this observation are discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008526 Medulla Oblongata The lower portion of the BRAIN STEM. It is inferior to the PONS and anterior to the CEREBELLUM. Medulla oblongata serves as a relay station between the brain and the spinal cord, and contains centers for regulating respiratory, vasomotor, cardiac, and reflex activities. Accessory Cuneate Nucleus,Ambiguous Nucleus,Arcuate Nucleus of the Medulla,Arcuate Nucleus-1,External Cuneate Nucleus,Lateral Cuneate Nucleus,Nucleus Ambiguus,Ambiguus, Nucleus,Arcuate Nucleus 1,Arcuate Nucleus-1s,Cuneate Nucleus, Accessory,Cuneate Nucleus, External,Cuneate Nucleus, Lateral,Medulla Oblongatas,Nucleus, Accessory Cuneate,Nucleus, Ambiguous,Nucleus, External Cuneate,Nucleus, Lateral Cuneate
D008866 Microsurgery The performance of surgical procedures with the aid of a microscope.
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011312 Pressure A type of stress exerted uniformly in all directions. Its measure is the force exerted per unit area. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Pressures
D001933 Brain Stem The part of the brain that connects the CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES with the SPINAL CORD. It consists of the MESENCEPHALON; PONS; and MEDULLA OBLONGATA. Brainstem,Truncus Cerebri,Brain Stems,Brainstems,Cerebri, Truncus,Cerebrus, Truncus,Truncus Cerebrus
D005930 Glossopharyngeal Nerve The 9th cranial nerve. The glossopharyngeal nerve is a mixed motor and sensory nerve; it conveys somatic and autonomic efferents as well as general, special, and visceral afferents. Among the connections are motor fibers to the stylopharyngeus muscle, parasympathetic fibers to the parotid glands, general and taste afferents from the posterior third of the tongue, the nasopharynx, and the palate, and afferents from baroreceptors and CHEMORECEPTOR CELLS of the carotid sinus. Cranial Nerve IX,Ninth Cranial Nerve,Cranial Nerve IXs,Cranial Nerve, Ninth,Cranial Nerves, Ninth,Glossopharyngeal Nerves,Nerve, Glossopharyngeal,Nerve, Ninth Cranial,Nerves, Glossopharyngeal,Nerves, Ninth Cranial,Ninth Cranial Nerves
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012891 Sleep Apnea Syndromes Disorders characterized by multiple cessations of respirations during sleep that induce partial arousals and interfere with the maintenance of sleep. Sleep apnea syndromes are divided into central (see SLEEP APNEA, CENTRAL), obstructive (see SLEEP APNEA, OBSTRUCTIVE), and mixed central-obstructive types. Apnea, Sleep,Hypersomnia with Periodic Respiration,Sleep-Disordered Breathing,Mixed Central and Obstructive Sleep Apnea,Sleep Apnea, Mixed,Sleep Apnea, Mixed Central and Obstructive,Sleep Hypopnea,Apnea Syndrome, Sleep,Apnea Syndromes, Sleep,Apneas, Sleep,Breathing, Sleep-Disordered,Hypopnea, Sleep,Hypopneas, Sleep,Mixed Sleep Apnea,Mixed Sleep Apneas,Sleep Apnea,Sleep Apnea Syndrome,Sleep Apneas,Sleep Apneas, Mixed,Sleep Disordered Breathing,Sleep Hypopneas
D014630 Vagus Nerve The 10th cranial nerve. The vagus is a mixed nerve which contains somatic afferents (from skin in back of the ear and the external auditory meatus), visceral afferents (from the pharynx, larynx, thorax, and abdomen), parasympathetic efferents (to the thorax and abdomen), and efferents to striated muscle (of the larynx and pharynx). Cranial Nerve X,Pneumogastric Nerve,Tenth Cranial Nerve,Nerve X,Nervus Vagus,Cranial Nerve, Tenth,Cranial Nerves, Tenth,Nerve X, Cranial,Nerve Xs,Nerve, Pneumogastric,Nerve, Tenth Cranial,Nerve, Vagus,Nerves, Pneumogastric,Nerves, Tenth Cranial,Nerves, Vagus,Pneumogastric Nerves,Tenth Cranial Nerves,Vagus Nerves,Vagus, Nervus

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