Sleep apnea following percutaneous cervical cordotomy.

Sleep apnea (Ondine's Curse) is an uncommon but potentially fatal complication of percutaneous cervical cordotomy. The authors have had the opportunity to review the case histories of 6 patients who have died of sleep apnea following this procedure. In a series of 112 patients, 144 cervical percutaneous cordotomies were performed from 1977 to 1985--80 unilateral cordotomies and 32 staged bilateral cordotomies. Six (5%) patients died as the result of sleep apnea. Five patients (16%) died following bilateral cordotomy and one (1%) patient with pulmonary disease died following unilateral cordotomy. The clinical data of these 6 patients are presented and unique spinal cord pathology is described in this report. The pathophysiology of the sleep apnea syndrome is also discussed.