LAUSR

Epilepsy is frequently encountered in the pediatric population and some patients are treated by stimulation of the vagus nerve to reduce their seizure frequency. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) may induce central sleep apnea. Adaptive servo ventilation is a known treatment option for central sleep apnea in certain adult patients with heart failure and Cheyne-Stokes respiration but is infrequently utilized in the pediatric population. A 17-year-old male with a history of intractable generalized epilepsy, VNS placement, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea (CSA) presented to our tertiary care center for management of his sleep disordered breathing. Initial management of sleep disordered breathing included CPAP for OSA. After VNS placement, the patient began to have a high residual apnea-hypopnea index on data card download of his CPAP. Polysomnography (PSG) was performed on CPAP and CSA events were noted that correlated with VNS firing. BiPAP was titrated and was unsuccessful in treating the CSA. VNS adjustment did not impact the sleep disordered breathing. Repeat titration with adaptive servo ventilation successfully treated the OSA and CSA. In follow up, the patient is tolerating ASV with improvement in his nocturnal sleep disordered breathing events and his daytime functioning. Central sleep apnea can be induced by vagus nerve stimulation. This unique case documents successful treatment of vagus nerve stimulation induced central sleep apnea by adaptive servo ventilation in an adolescent patient.