Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T08:05:59.898Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An unusual cause of obstructive sleep apnoea presenting during pregnancy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Khalid Taibah ,
Mohammad Ahmed ,
Ebtessam Baessa ,
Muhammad Saleem ,
Ayman Rifai  and
Abdullah Al-Arifi
Khalid Taibah
Affiliation:
Section of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammad Ahmed*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ebtessam Baessa
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Muhammad Saleem
Affiliation:
Section of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ayman Rifai
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah Al-Arifi
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
*
Address for correspondence: Mohammed Ahmed, M.D., F.A.C.P, F.A.C.E., Consultant Endocrinologist, Department of Medicine (MBC-46), King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia. Fax: 966-1 442 7499
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We describe a case of lingual thyroid (LT) with primary hypothyroidism, presenting during pregnancy and continuing beyond it with oropharyngeal obstructive symptoms and sleep apnoea syndrome (SAS) of mixed type. Although SAS of a combined obstructive and central type should not be too surprising in a case of LT with hypothyroidism, we were unable to find such a documentation previously. Only four weeks of L-thyroxin treatment resulted in a dramatic improvement in dysphagia, disturbed phonation, haemoptysis, arterial desaturation, sleep apnoea and overall sleep efficiency, in conjunction with a regression in the size of the lingual mass. This case highlights the vagaries confronted in the management of such a case and focuses on efforts towards accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Keywords

Lingual thyroidSleep apnoea syndromePregnancyHypothyroidism
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 112 , Issue 12 , December 1998 , pp. 1189 - 1191
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Batsakis, J. G., El-Naggar, A. K., Luna, M. A. (1996) Pathology consultation: Thyroid gland ectopias. Annals Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology 105: 996–1000.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baldwin, R. L., Copeland, S. K. (1988) Lingual thyroid and associated epiglottisitis. Southern Medical Journal 81: 1538–1541.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Diaz-Arias, A. A., Bickel, J. T., Loy, T. S., Croll, G. H., Puckett, C. L., Havey, A. D. (1992) Follicular carcinoma with clear cell changes arising in lingual thyroid. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology 74: 206–211.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hickman, W. (1869) Congenital tumour of the base of the tongue, pressing down the epiglottis on the larynx and causing death by suffocation 16 hours after birth. Transactions of Pathological Society of London 20: 160–161.Google Scholar
Kansal, P., Sakati, N., Rifai, A., Woodhouse, N. (1987) Lingual thyroid: diagnosis and treatment. Archives of Internal Medicine 147: 2046–2048.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neinas, F. W., Column, A. G., Devine, K. D. (1973) Lingual thyroid. Annals of Internal Medicine 79: 205–210.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rajagopal, K. R., Abbrecht, P. H., Derderian, S. S., Pickett, C., Hofeldt, F., Tellis, C. J., Zwillich, C. W. (1984) Obstructive sleep apnea in hypothyroidism. Annals of Internal Medicine 101: 491–494.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Saulk, J. J. (1979) Ectopic lingual thyroid. Journal of Pathology 102: 239–243.Google Scholar
Williams, J. D., Slupchinski, O., Sclafani, A. P., Douge, C. (1996) Evaluation and management of the lingual thyroid gland. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology 105: 312–316.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed