A case of osteochondroma of the atlas causing obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Most osteochondromas affect the long bones, but rarely originate in the spine. We report an extremely rare case of osteochondroma of the atlas causing obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in a 61-year-old female. The osteochondroma was removed completely using a transoral approach, and the symptoms of OSAS disappeared. A review of the literature regarding osteochondroma confirms the rarity of this lesion and the use of a transoral approach is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]