Anatomy of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea

Abstract

Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea is most commonly caused by adenotonsillar hypertrophy, for which adenotonsillectomy remains one of the mainstays of treatment. For patients with persistent obstructive sleep apnea following adenotonsillectomy, or for patients in whom the adenoid and tonsils are not contributing to airway obstruction, individualized treatment is centered around identifying the site of obstruction. Obstruction can occur anywhere along the upper airway and is often multilevel. These sites can include the nasal cavity, nasopharynx, velum, oropharynx, tongue base, and/or supraglottis. Knowledge of this anatomy is essential.