Polysomnogram outcomes in patients with laryngomalacia and obstructive sleep apnoea treated surgically versus non-surgically.

OBJECTIVE

To compare supraglottoplasty versus non-surgical treatment in children with laryngomalacia and mild, moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnoea.

METHODS

Patients were classified based on their obstructive apnoea hypopnoea index on initial polysomnogram, which was compared to their post-treatment polysomnogram.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients underwent supraglottoplasty, and 12 patients had non-surgical treatment. The average obstructive apnoea hypopnoea index after supraglottoplasty fell by 12.68 events per hour (p = 0.0039) in the supraglottoplasty group and 3.3 events per hour (p = 0.3) in the non-surgical treatment group. Comparison of the change in obstructive apnoea hypopnoea index in the surgical versus non-surgical groups did not meet statistical significance (p = 0.09).

CONCLUSION

All patients with laryngomalacia and obstructive sleep apnoea had a statistically significant improvement in obstructive apnoea hypopnoea index after supraglottoplasty irrespective of obstructive sleep apnoea severity, whereas patients who received non-surgical treatment had more variable and unpredictable results. Direct comparison of the change between the two groups did not find supraglottoplasty to be superior to non-surgical treatment. Larger prospective studies are recommended.