Congenital central alveolar hypoventilation (Ondine's curse): a case report and review of the literature.

Congenital central alveolar hypoventilation (C-CAH), so called Ondine's curse, is known to be quite a rare neuropathology that has been reported in only 23 cases to date. C-CAH was diagnosed in a 2-year-5-month-old infant. In the treatment of C-CAH, we implanted a right unilateral diaphragm pacemaker in the infant and his respiratory status was remarkably improved after diaphragm pacing. Twenty-three reported cases of this disorder are reviewed in the literature.