Ondine's Curse
Ondine's Curse Causes
Ondine's curse is a congenital disorder but may also result due to severe brain or spinal trauma during which the patient may have had an automobile accident, a stroke, or a neurosurgery that has gone complicated.
Ondine's Curse Definition
Ondine's Curse is a respiratory disorder which results in episodes of respiratory arrest during sleep. It is a serious disorder and fatal if not treated. The disorder is also referred to as congenital central hypoventilation syndrome or primary alveolar hypoventilation.
Ondine's Curse Diagnosis
Medical evaluation of children with congenital Ondine's curse has impaired responses to the two strongest stimuli that increase breathing rate ? the build-up of carbon dioxide and the decreases of oxygen in the circulation.
Ondine's Curse Symptoms and Signs
Individuals suffering from the disorder have a congenital failure to automatically control their breathing particularly when asleep. On rare circumstances and in severe cases, it may also occur while the patient is awake.
Ondine's Curse Treatment
Newborn who had congenital Ondine's curse do not survive infancy unless they were provided with ventilatory assistance when they sleep or a Phrenic Nerve Pacing/diaphragm pacing. Other patients needed tracheotomies and a lifetime support of mechanical ventilation. Lately, Biphasic Cuirass Ventilation has shown to be effective without the need of a tracheotomy.