Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is often associated with reduced pharyngeal muscle tone
and an anatomically narrowed pharyngeal airspace. We try to describe two cases with
OSA that were diagnosed with vascular lesions during DISE: One of them was an aberrant
internal carotid artery, and the second one was a glomus tumor. These anatomic anomalies
contribute to airspace narrowing in these patients. These two cases describe an exciting
presentation of sleep apnea and remind us of the importance of clinically recognizing
vascular alterations to avoid damage during routine oropharyngeal procedures.
Keywords
drug-induced sleep endoscopy - obstructive sleep apnea - glomus tumor - aberrant internal
carotid artery
