Abstract
The Apnomonitor, which was developed to monitor respiration during sleep, was used to investigate nasal or pharyngeal disease in 69 patients. Among them, 23 patients with adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy, 33 with chronic tonsillitis, and 13 with chronic sinusitis and deviation of the nasal septum were studied. The Apnomonitor was used to monitor tracheal sounds, nasal air flow and EGG parameters during sleep. Sleep apnea was found in 17 (24.6%) of the patients. Seven patients had adenoid and tonsillar hypertrophy, five had chronic tonsillitis, and five had chronic sinusitis and deviation of the nasal septum. After surgery snoring decreased in 15 (88.2%) of 17 patients, respiratory arrest during sleep decreased in 6 (85.7%) of 7 patients, and sleepiness during the day disappeared completely in 4 of 5 patients. Apnea indices were improved in all 11 patients tested. The Apnomonitor cannot differentiate waking from sleeping during apnea, or central apnea from obstructive apnea.
It simply shows the presence or absence of apnea during sleep. It can be used in the outpatient clinic. Since it is portable and simple to operate, it is useful in screening for sleep apnea syndrome.
