Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea with hypoglossal nerve stimulation in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of hereditary connective tissue disorders caused by defects in collagen synthesis and structure that manifests as tissue fragility, hypermobility, and vascular abnormalities. Patients with EDS are at a high risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to increased tissue laxity in the upper airway, in addition to nasal-maxillary cartilaginous defects, scoliosis, or other abnormalities. Here we present the case of a patient with EDS who underwent successful treatment of OSA using hypoglossal nerve stimulation after continuous positive airway pressure therapy failure, demonstrating that this can be a useful treatment modality in this population.