Drug-induced sedation endoscopy in children <2 years with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: upper airway findings and treatment outcomes

Few data are available about the pattern of upper airway (UA) obstruction in children 50%) obstruction at the level of the adenoids, and all but 5 had (>50%) tonsillar obstruction. DISE-directed treatment consisted of adenoidectomy (n = 4), tonsillectomy (n = 1), and AT (n = 23). There was a significant improvement in respiratory parameters. Twenty children (71.4%) had a postoperative oAHI <2/hr. None had palatal or tongue base obstruction. Five children had a circumferential UA narrowing (hypotonia), 2 of them had residual OSAS. DISE showed a collapse of the epiglottis in 6 and late-onset laryngomalacia in 4. These findings did not affect surgical outcome. Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is the major cause of UA obstruction, and DISE-directed UA surgery was curative in 71,4% of children ≤2 years. We suggest that DISE may be helpful in surgical decision making. Circumferential UA narrowing may result in less favorable surgical outcomes.