Journal of Rare Disorders: Diagnosis & Therapy

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Associated with Soft Palate Pleomorphic Adenoma: Case Report and Review of Literature

Context: Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common benign tumor arising in the salivary gland. Soft palatine localisation is rare but can cause an obstructive syndrome. We report a case of pleomorphic adenoma of the soft palate causing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Case report: A 62-year-old woman was addressed to ENT consultation because of obstuctive sleep-disorderd breathing. On physical exam we discovered a submucosal mass of the right soft palate of 3 x 2 cm. Therapy consisted of a tumor excision. Histopathology spoke in favour of a pleomorphic adenoma. Excision of the local mass led to sleep exam normalization and symptoms resolution.

Conclusion: Oropharyngeal and oral cavity tumors may cause obstuctive sleep-disorderd breathing. All patients with sleep disordered should undergo a thorough ENT clinical examination.

Author(s):

Jelena Todic, Yves Jaquet and Michel-André Hotz

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