1/29. subarachnoid hemorrhage following permissive hypercapnia in a patient with severe acute asthma.In this article, we describe a case of a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in an acute severe asthma patient following mechanical hypoventilation. A 49-year-old man was admitted to an intensive care Unit with an acute exacerbation of asthma. After 3 days of mechanical ventilation (hypercapnia and normoxaemia), it was noted that his right pupil was fixed, dilated, and unreactive to light. Computed tomography (CT) scan showed localized SAH within the basilar cisterns and diffuse cerebral swelling. On the fourth day, a new CT scan showed hemorrhage resorption and a cerebral swelling decrease. In the following days, the patient's condition continued improving with no detectable neurological deficits. A review of similar published reports showed that all patients performed respiratory acidosis, normoxaemia, and hypercapnia. The most frequent neurological sign was mydriasis, and all subjects showed cerebral edema. Since normoxaemic hypercapnia has been associated with absence, or less cerebral edema, we considered additional factors to explain cerebral edema and intracranial hypertension causes. Thus, intrathoracic pressures due to patient's efforts by forcibly exhaling, or during mechanical ventilation, would further increase intracranial pressure by limiting cerebral venous drainage. This case emphasizes the fact that patients with acute severe asthma who have developed profoundly hypercarbic without hypoxia before or during mechanical ventilation, may have raised critical intracranial pressure.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/29. Intradialytic hypercapnic respiratory failure managed by noninvasive assisted ventilation.We report a hemodialysis patient with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure managed on noninvasive intermittent positive pressure ventilation and progressive metabolic acidosis. Dialysate bicarbonate concentration of 25 mEq/l was associated with exacerbation of metabolic acidosis, while higher dialysate bicarbonate concentration of 30 mEq/l induced a dangerous increase in PCO(2) level. Excessive bicarbonate buffering and CO(2) production induced by severe metabolic acidosis, malnourishment and tissue hypoxia, could explain inadequate correction of metabolic acidosis and worsening of hypercapnia in this patient. Our findings suggest the need for close monitoring of blood gases and cautious modulation of dialysate bicarbonate concentration in the presence of progressive metabolic acidosis in hypercapnic hemodialysis patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.33333333333333keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/29. Hypercapnic respiratory failure and partial upper airway obstruction during high frequency oscillatory ventilation in an adult burn patient.PURPOSE: To present a case of severe hypercapnic respiratory failure in an adult burn patient and to describe our clinical problem solving approach during support with an unconventional mode of mechanical ventilation. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 19-yr-old male with smoke inhalation and flame burns to 50% total body surface area was admitted to the Ross Tilley Burn Centre. High frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) was initiated on day three for treatment of severe hypoxemia. By day four, the patient met consensus criteria for acute respiratory distress syndrome. On day nine, alveolar ventilation was severely compromised and was characterized by hypercapnea (PaCO(2) 136 mmHg) and acidosis (pH 7.10). Attempts to improve CO(2) elimination by a decrease in the HFOV oscillatory frequency and an increase in the amplitude pressure failed. An intentional orotracheal tube cuff leak was also ineffective. A 6.0-mm nasotracheal tube was inserted into the supraglottic hypopharynx to palliate presumed expiratory upper airway obstruction. After nasotracheal tube placement, an intentional cuff leak of the orotracheal tube improved ventilation (PaCO(2) 81 mmHg) and relieved the acidosis (pH 7.30). The improvement in ventilation (with normal oxygen saturation) was sustained until the patient's death from multiple organ dysfunction four days later. CONCLUSION: During HFOV in burn patients, postresuscitation edema of the supraglottic upper airway may cause expiratory upper airway obstruction. The insertion of a nasotracheal tube, combined with an intentional orotracheal cuff leak may improve alveolar ventilation during HFOV in such patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.33333333333333keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/29. Uncontrollable high-frequency tachypnea in a case of unilateral medial medullary infarct.BACKGROUND: Medullary infarcts can be associated with breathing disorders that usually consist in central hypoventilation. PATIENT: We describe the case of a 54-year-old man, fully conscious, presenting with an uncontrollable high frequency and shallow tachypnea (95/min) at the onset of a unilateral medial medullary infarct. This disorder disappeared under inspiratory pressure support mechanical ventilation. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Respiratory drive (respiratory rate, occlusion pressure, and mean inspiratory flow), efferent pathway (transcranial and cervical magnetic stimulation), and afferent pathway (response to CO(2) and to lung inflation) were investigated. The respiratory drive was increased. The phrenic nerve conduction time was normal. The sensitivity of the central pattern generator to lung inflation and to CO(2) was preserved. The territory of the infarct was supplied by the spinal anterior artery. CONCLUSIONS: An extremely rapid and shallow tachypnea due to the increase in respiratory drive can be associated with unilateral medullary infarction.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.66666666666667keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/29. Hypercarbia during carbon dioxide gas insufflation for therapeutic laparoscopy: a note of caution.During the past decade, the number of laparoscopic procedures performed in the united states, primarily with cholecystectomy, has increased phenomenally. We recently had a patient who developed hypercarbia and cardiovascular compromise during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The cardiovascular compromise was caused by mechanical factors directly related to increasing intra-abdominal pressures affecting ventilation and venous return as well as the absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the circulation, leading to acidosis and further depression of the cardiopulmonary system. Cardiovascular compromise can be avoided with early recognition of increased end-tidal CO2 concentrations and by preventing intra-abdominal pressures from exceeding 16 mm Hg.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.66666666666667keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/29. Nasal positive pressure ventilation in the treatment of chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure: a case report.This paper describes the use of a nasal mask to deliver intermittent positive pressure ventilation to treat chronic respiratory failure in one patient with severe kyphoscoliosis. After two months of overnight nasal ventilation at home the patient achieved normal blood gases, showed improved inspiratory muscle strength, effort tolerance and was able to return to work. Intermittent nasal ventilation is a safe and effective ventilatory support modality for some patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.6666666666667keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/29. Severe hypercapnia due to pulmonary embolism of polymethylmethacrylate during vertebroplasty.Pulmonary polymethylmethacrylate embolism is a rare but potentially fatal complication of percutaneous vertebroplasty. Clinical signs are typical for pulmonary embolism: they include respiratory distress, hypotension, and decreases in end-tidal CO(2). We report a case of fatal pulmonary polymethylmethacrylate embolism during percutaneous vertebroplasty that initially presented with hypertension (arterial blood pressure 190/90 mm Hg), normocardia, and hypercapnia (PaCO(2) 96 mm Hg), along with loss of consciousness. Several pieces of polymethylmethacrylate were found in the pulmonary vasculature at autopsy. IMPLICATIONS: Osteoporotic spine fractures are increasingly treated by injection of bone cement into the vertebral body. Polymethylmethacrylate embolism is a rare but potentially fatal complication. We report on a case of polymethylmethacrylate embolism that was at first unrecognized because of uncharacteristic signs and symptoms.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.33333333333333keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/29. Nocturnal nasal IPPV stabilizes patients with cystic fibrosis and hypercapnic respiratory failure.Nocturnal nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (nIPPV) has been used successfully in the management of patients with respiratory failure due to chest wall deformity and neuromuscular disease. In order to determine if nIPPV is useful in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) complicated by respiratory failure, we treated four hypercapnic patients for up to 18 months. All patients had failed to respond to intensive conventional therapy, including nocturnal nasal CPAP in three of the patients. Within a few days of commencing nIPPV, all reported improved length and quality of sleep. There was lessening of the degree of hypercapnia and an increase in respiratory muscle strength. After stabilization in the hospital, all patients were able to be discharged home receiving nocturnal assisted ventilation. The improvements seen in these patients have been maintained for up to 18 months. We believe nIPPV offers an effective therapeutic approach for patients with end-stage CF in hypercapnic respiratory failure and may be particularly advantageous for those awaiting heart-lung transplant.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.33333333333333keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/29. High-frequency oscillatory ventilation and an interventional lung assist device to treat hypoxaemia and hypercapnia.A male patient accidentally aspirated paraffin oil when performing as a fire-eater. Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (Pa(o(2))/Fi(o(2)) ratio 10.7 kPa) developed within 24 h. Conventional pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) with high airway pressures and low tidal volumes failed to improve oxygenation. hypercapnia (Pa(co(2)) 12 kPa) with severe acidosis (pH<7.20) ensued. Treatment with high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) and a higher adjusted airway pressure (35 cm H(2)O) improved the Pa(o(2))/Fi(o(2)) ratio within 1 h from 10.7 to 22.9 kPa, but the hypercapnia and acidosis continued. Stepwise reduction of the mean airway pressure (26 cm H(2)O), and oscillating frequencies (3.5 Hz), as well as increasing the oscillating amplitudes (95 cm H(2)O) resulted in an unchanged Pa(co(2)), but oxygenation worsened. The new pumpless extracorporeal interventional lung assist device (ILA, NovaLung, Hechingen, germany) was therefore used for carbon dioxide elimination to enable a less aggressive ventilation strategy. Pa(co(2)) normalized after initiation of ILA. HFOV with a mean airway pressure of 32 cm H(2)O was maintained, but with a higher oscillatory frequency (9 Hz) and very low oscillatory amplitude (25 cm H(2)O). After 6 days, the patient was transferred to a conventional ventilator, and ILA was discontinued after 13 days without complications.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.6666666666667keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/29. Acute respiratory failure and sleep-disordered breathing in arnold-chiari malformation.We report on the case of a 32-year-old man who was admitted after an episode of acute respiratory failure. Clinical and laboratory investigations revealed nocturnal hypoventilation with predominately obstructive sleep apneas accompanied by lower cranial nerve palsies, cerebellar and mild pyramidal signs. magnetic resonance imaging disclosed Arnold-Chiari type I malformation with syringomyelia. transcranial magnetic stimulation demonstrated the integrity of the corticodiaphragmatic pathway and it was postulated that the respiratory disorder was mainly due to the severe and irreversible lower cranial nerve palsies. Two years after decompressive craniectomy, sleep disordered-breathing persisted despite no radiological evidence of brain stem compression. Nevertheless, non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) during sleep proved to be quite effective in the management of the patient's refractory respiratory insufficiency. In conclusion, Arnold-Chiari type I may rarely present with acute respiratory failure and sleep apneas. An electrophysiological investigation into the mechanism of the respiratory dysfunction is presented.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.33333333333333keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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