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The patient is a slender man in his early thirties, referred in 2005 by a dentist who specializes in facial pain, for suspected sleep apnea.
His history was that of ten years of snoring without any daytime sleepiness. His father has sleep apnea. His medical history was unremarkable. On physical examination, he demonstrated a short jaw and significant "overbite".
Overnight polysomnography revealed surprisingly severe sleep apnea with dramatic drops in blood oxygen levels--and with elements of both upper airway obstruction and failure to initiate efforts to breathe (both obstructive and central sleep apnea). He also showed worrisome heart rhythm abnormalities.
Both CPAP and bilevel positive airway pressure failed to help him. He was treated for a while with bilevel PAP with a back-up breathing rate and supplemental oxygen because at that time, there were no better treatments available. He did this treatment poorly, using it less than half the time.
Fortunately, in the summer of 2006, adaptive servo-ventilation--a breakthrough treatment for both central and obstructive sleep apnea--became available. ASV completely normalized his breathing and eliminated all drops in his blood oxygen levels--without any need to administer supplemental oxygen.
Furthermore, he finds ASV far more comfortable and easy to utilize than his prior treatment. He uses it throughout 100% of all sleep periods and his sleep-related difficulties have become a thing of the past.
COMMENTS: Adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) has been an incredible advance in sleep medicine. Before its availability in 2006, our treatments for central sleep apnea were both difficult to use and often ineffective.
ASV is nothing short of amazing in its ability to normalize breathing during sleep. It also is far easier to tolerate than either CPAP or bilevel PAP--since it adapts to the patient, rather than forcing the patient to adjust to it.
If this patient's story reminds you of your own--or that of a loved one--please do not hesitate to contact us at flamenco@netexp.net with any questions that you may have. We are here to help.
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