Central Alveolar Hypoventilation Syndrome Due to Surgical Resection for Bulbar Hemangioblastoma

A 29-year-old man with a history of resected bulbar hemangioblastoma was admitted to hospital with nighttime breathing disturbance, but with apparently normal breathing while awake. After diagnostic work-up, including polysomnographic testing, he was diagnosed as having central alveolar hypoventilation syndrome due to surgical resection for bulbar hemangioblastoma. Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) via oronasal facemask was given for nocturnal ventilatory support. Two months after leaving our hospital, he was readmitted because of aspiration pneumonia. The pneumonia was successfully treated with antibiotics, but the desaturation during sleep worsened despite non-invasive ventilatory support. Higher bi-level positive pressure using a full facemask successfully alleviated sleep hypoventilation and apnea. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of central alveolar hypoventilation syndrome due to surgical resection for bulbar hemangioblastoma.