Congenital cervicofacial venous and lymphatic malformations causing severe obstructive sleep apnea-A report of 2 pediatric cases and review of the literature

Venous malformations and lymphatic malformations of the head and neck region are uncommon causes for obstructive sleep apnea in the pediatric population. The need for treatment for these malformations depends on the location and size of lesion and associated complications such as ulceration, bleeding, or chronic airway obstruction leading to obstructive sleep apnea. Treatment options for obstructive sleep apnea include conservative approach with continuous positive airway pressure therapy, surgical excision, and sclerotherapy. Management of children with large venous or lymphatic malformations that develop severe obstructive sleep apnea often requires multidisciplinary care involving otolaryngology, sleep medicine, and interventional radiology. We report 2 pediatric cases, one with congenital lymphatic malformation and another with venous malformation causing polysomnographically confirmed severe sleep apnea and discuss their management. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.