The Chiari malformation type I (CM-I) has been associated with sleep-disordered
breathing, especially central sleep apnea syndrome. We report the case of a
44-year-old female with CM-I who was referred to our sleep laboratory for suspected
sleep apnea. The patient had undergone decompressive surgery 3 years prior. An
arterial blood gas analysis showed hypercapnia. Polysomnography showed a respiratory
disturbance index of 108 events/h, and all were central apnea events. Treatment with
adaptive servo-ventilation was initiated, and central apnea was resolved. This report
demonstrates the efficacy of servo-ventilation in the treatment of central sleep
apnea syndrome associated with alveolar hypoventilation in a CM-I patient with a
history of decompressive surgery.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.