Images: Polysomnographic artifacts in a child with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome

Abstract

Diaphragm pacing (DP), a modality of ventilatory support in children with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, generates respiration using the patient's own diaphragm as the respiratory pump. We report a 14-year-old boy with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome who uses DP with an uncapped tracheostomy during sleep. Polysomnography to titrate DP settings identified artifacts occurring in regular intervals coinciding with the onset of inspiration during all sleep stages in several channels including legs, snore, and electrocardiogram. Clinicians interpreting polysomnograms performed during DP should become familiar with the multichannel artifacts due to DP impulses. We also identified that our patient was hyperventilated on home DP settings that led to adjustment of DP settings during the polysomnogram to achieve optimal oxygenation and ventilation. Our case also highlights the utility of polysomnography to ensure optimal gas exchange during sleep in children with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome using DP.

Keywords: CCHS; artifact; congenital central hypoventilation syndrome; diaphragm pacing; polysomnogram.