Did Napoleon suffer from chronic rhonchopathy?

Abstract

Conclusion: If Napoleon had been treated, Europa would then have doubtless been different, and perhaps would not have known the last two World wars.

Objectives: This study plans to demonstrate that Napoleon very probably suffered from Chronic Rhonchopathy.

Background: Between 1983–1993, the author led their ENT department of CHU Saint-Antoine to contribute in the knowledge of chronic snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apneas Syndrome (OSAS), and to define the treatment of their consequences. As a result of these efforts, in Paris in 1987 the First International Congress on Chronic Rhonchopathy was organized. Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS) is caused by anatomical and intermittent obstruction of the upper airway, which impedes passage of air to the lungs during sleep. Recent literature demonstrates that chronic snoring frequently precedes this obstruction by several years, and always accompanies this syndrome. All life long, there is a severity increasing continuum between more light snoring and more severe OSAS, i.e. Pickwick Syndrome. This continuum is described as a new disease called Chronic Rhonchopathy. This term was never discussed; since 2006, it has been implicitly recognized.

Materials and method: Napoleon would sleep very little. He used to wake up in the night and then grasp the chance to work. Brief sleeping time in day repaired his fatigue. He also had a short and thick neck. In the last quarter of his life he had progressively suffered from obesity, daily involuntary sleepiness, and his intellectual capabilities had been undoubtedly decreasing. In the vast literature concerning Napoleon’s behavior, the author brought together the clinical elements which could be due to this disease. This study looked for the morphological peculiarities of this OSAS in sculpture and painting, that had the Emperor as the model.

Results: Napoleon presented surely diurnal somnolence, asthenia, obesity, neck shortness, retrognatia, and nasal pathology. He did not suffer from these troubles while he was young. On the contrary, he took advantage of his multiple awakenings, doubtlessly due to apnea occurring during his paradoxical sleep, to deal with some of his main masterpieces, e.g. the French Code Civil. With age, the Emperor’s chronic rhonchopathy became more severe. If he had benefitted of modern treatments, maybe Moskowa would not have been a French defeat and Waterloo would have been a victory for France.

Keywords:

• Breathing
• daytime drowsiness
• nap
• nasal obstruction
• mandible
• maxillomandibular advancement surgery
• oral appliance
• orthodontics
• snoring

Disclosure statement

The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.