Cystic hygroma as a rare cause of obstructive sleep apnea

ABSTRACT

A 16-year-old female presented with a seven-month history of episodic cessation of breath during sleep, associated with loud snoring and bluish discoloration of lips. She was a known case of cystic hygroma since birth with many surgical interventions and multiple relapses, the last having been laser therapy of a laryngeal cyst seven months previously. She had obvious throat scarring and a small cyst in soft palate. On the right side of the neck there was a non-tender soft tissue mass 6 x 4 cm in diameter and decreased breath sounds on auscultation of the right upper zone of the chest. MRI of the neck and chest showed a mass involving the right side of neck to the upper part of the chest and severe narrowing of the upper airway at the base of the tongue. A sleep study confirmed obstructive sleep apnea. She was referred to the UK for further surgery and treatment and died suddenly while there. The rare association of cystic hygroma and sleep apnea is reviewed