Annie's Sleep Study Results

We met with the pulmonologist to review Annie's sleep study results. We were stunned to say the least. We've known she's had sleep apnea for several years because we've heard it several times when we've shared a room with her or she's fallen asleep on our laps. Never did we think that it was really THIS bad!

Here are some statistics from her sleep study: Annie had 118 episodes of sleep apnea--an average of 13 per hour! The longest apnea episode lasted 60 seconds and her lowest oxygen saturation level was 75. Fortunately, her carbon dioxide levels were maintained within a normal range the entire night. Annie snored most of the night, very loudly at times. She had 216 episodes of arousal (a normal adult arouses 5-6 times an hour).

Annie also showed paradoxical breathing patterns sustained through the entire night. Paradoxical breathing is when the lungs and diaphragm are working against each other to breathe. Most patients with sleep apnea only show paradoxical breathing during an actual apnea episode. Annie showed paradoxical breathing the entire night--something our pulmonologist has never seen before.

Our pulmonogist believes her sleep apnea is due to enlarged tonsils and possibly large adenoids. Also, because of her low muscle tone around her head and neck, her airway collapses easily when she's asleep. Her baclofen medication to help with muscle tightness in her leg and arm might also be further weakening her throat muscles.

Before we left the hospital, they did a soft tissue neck x-ray to get a better picture of Annie's tonsils and adenoids. The next step is to meet with an ENT to discuss a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Two months after surgery she will have another sleep study to see how successful the surgery was. If she is still having sleep apnea she might need to use a C-PAP machine, but we hope to avoid that at all costs. Fortunately, our orthopedist is willing to combine Annie's ankle surgery with her tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy. In the meantime, we now have an oxygen machine for Annie at night to help prevent her oxygen saturation levels from dipping too low during her apnea episodes. The trick now is to figure out how to get her to not rip off the nasal cannula in the night!