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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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