1/15. Autocycling and increase in intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure during mechanical ventilation.Modern ventilators are complicated electronic instruments with microprocessors and software, with the possibility of technical errors and problems such as autocycling. Despite autocycling being recognized as a problem in textbooks and reviews, there are few reports about autocycling in the literature. We report a case where a sudden increase in respiratory frequency due to autocycling resulted in a dangerous increase in intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (intrinsic PEEP, PEEPi). We think our case illustrates that autocycling does occur, but that the exact underlying mechanism may be hard to document and understand for clinicians. To remedy this situation, we suggest that manufacture-independent technical expertise should be established to evaluate incidents and suggest improvements.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/15. Translaryngeal open ventilation to treat acute respiratory failure in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A preliminary report.PURPOSE: To describe a minimally invasive alternative to conventional mechanical ventilation, using a small size uncuffed nasotracheal tube (translaryngeal open ventilation) paired with pressure control ventilation, in acute respiratory failure complicating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Clinical features: Two cooperative COPD patients, who failed noninvasive mechanical ventilation, were intubated nasotracheally. Mechanical ventilation was initiated in pressure control mode via an uncuffed 6 mm tube. RESULTS: respiratory rate improved after 1 hour (from 44 to 28 breaths*min(-1) in case 1 and from 32 to 25 breaths*min(-1) in case 2); PaC0(2) decreased (from 120 to 62 mmHg in case 1 and from 69 to 51 mmHg in case 2); with pressure control mode levels of 45 cm H(2)O and 55 cm H(2)O respectively. PaO(2) increased from 40 mmHg (with FIO(2) 0.3) to 55 mmHg (with FIO(2) 0.3) in the first patient and from 55 mmHg (with FIO(2) 0.4) to 60 mmHg (with FIO(2) 0.4 ) in the second patient; pH improved from 7.18 to 7.31 in case 1 and from 7.22 to 7.39 in case 2. patients were able to trigger the ventilator, speak, swallow and to clear secretions spontaneously. Both patients were ventilated for three days in this manner without any adverse effects. Both survived and were discharged home after 20 and 18 days in hospital respectively. CONCLUSION: This very preliminary report suggests that, in carefully selected patients who fail mask ventilation, mechanical support with translaryngeal open ventilation can improve gas exchange, breathing pattern and tachypnea, without hindering glottic function.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.6keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/15. Management of respiratory failure with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation and heliox adjunct.Exhausted by persistent coughing and dyspnea, a 63-year-old man with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was admitted to the emergency department. Initial treatment included oxygen and pharmacologic and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) therapy with minimal clinical improvement. In view of this situation, a gas mixture of helium-oxygen (heliox) 70%:30% was introduced into the nasal mask as an adjunct. Within 20 minutes of therapy, a marked improvement in arterial blood gases and a reduction in respiratory rate and accessory muscle use was noted. The patient expressed in a high-pitched voice that he was "breathing easier." He remained on NPPV-heliox adjunct for 80 minutes. At the end of this period, the patient was placed on a 50% Venturi oxygen mask. He was transferred to the intensive care unit, and 6 days later he was discharged from the hospital without incident.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/15. Interhemispheric intracranial pressure gradients in massive cerebral infarction.We report continuous bilateral intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring immediately after transtentorial herniation in a patient with massive cerebral infarction to: 1) determine presence and time course of compartmental ICP differences, and 2) to study effects of therapy on both hemispheres. A 55-year-old man admitted with watershed infarctions in the left anterior-middle-posterior cerebral arteries distribution. Initial investigations demonstrated highly narrowed left extracranial internal carotid artery. Eight days later he developed unexplained lethargy and anisocoria. head computerized tomography (CT) showed massive left hemispheric infarction, edema, and midline shift. Bilateral subarachnoid bolts demonstrated equally elevated ICP in both hemispheres. hyperventilation and osmotic therapy produced near-identical ICP reduction bilaterally with resolution of anisocoria. Later, plateau waves and autonomic instability developed. Shortly before loss of brainstem function, interhemispheric ICP gradients (left greater than right) of 30-40 mm Hg developed. intracranial pressure did not equalize prior to brain death determination. Bilateral ICP monitoring did not reveal an interhemispheric ICP gradient soon after transtentorial herniation in massive MCA infarction. The presence of interhemispheric ICP gradients in massive stroke remains unproven and further clinical study is necessary.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.2keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/15. dyspnea-fasciculation syndrome: early respiratory failure in ALS with minimal motor signs.BACKGROUND: Respiratory failure (RF) in ALS typically occurs as a late manifestation. While there are uncommon patient reports of early RF, most had moderate limb and bulbar weakness. DESIGN/methods: We reviewed clinical and laboratory data from 3 patients with ALS, early RF, and minor motor signs. RESULTS: patients were male, ages 62, 75 and 80 years. The patients presented with 6 months to 2 years of exertional and nocturnal dyspnea, daytime hypersomnolence, limb fatigability, and weight loss. Exam showed tachypnea, slight distal limb weakness, and hyperreflexia. All three patients had prominent fasciculations, insomnia, supportive EMG findings, FVC (32-74% predicted), PO2 (50-80 mmHg), PCO2(52-76 mmHg) and required BiPAP (Bi-level positive airway pressure). One patient had a reduced FEV1/FVC of 0.55 and a 15% increase in FEV1 post-bronchodilator suggesting concurrent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, his P(A-a)O2 was only 7 mmHg suggesting COPD was not the major factor causing respiratory failure; his extreme hypercapnea could not be explained by ALS or COPD alone. CONCLUSIONS: ALS may present with unexplained RF, or sleep disturbance resembling sleep apnea, without significant bulbar or limb weakness. In our experience, such patients are elderly with dyspnea, fasciculations, and other minor motor signs: the dyspnea-fasciculation syndrome. Concurrent COPD may augment the effect of ALS, resulting in earlier RF. FVC may be relatively preserved, despite hypercapnia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/15. hemopneumothorax in a COPD patient treated with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation: the risk of attendant anticoagulation.Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) modalities have been proven to be effective in the setting of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Reported complications include pneumothorax, increased work of breathing, gastric distension and air embolism. This case demonstrates that patients with severe COPD on anticoagulant therapy are potentially at risk for the serious complication of combined lung barotrauma and hemorrhage while on acute NIPPV therapy. This is the first reported case of hemopneumothorax complicating NIPPV therapy.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/15. Acquired Ondine's curse: case report.We report and discuss the case of a 55-year old man who presented a history of stroke as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. When admitted into the emergency room, he was diagnosed with a vertebro-basilar syndrome. A brain MRI showed a hyperintense area in the lower right brainstem laterally within the medulla, which corresponds to the area of the pathways descending from the autonomic breathing control center. During hospitalization, the patient had several episodes of prolonged apnea, mainly when asleep, having often to be "reminded" to breath. A tracheostomy was then performed with the patient under mechanical ventilation. Treatment with medroxyprogesterone, fluoxetine and acetazolamide was also started. He was discharged after 64 days breathing environmental air with no apparent episodes of apnea. He returned to the emergency room in the following day with a clinical picture of aspiration bronchopneumonia, followed by septic shock and death. CONCLUSION: the Ondine's curse is one of the posterior stroke's presentation characterized by loss of automatic breathing and for the unpredictability of clinical evolution and prognosis. Such a syndrome has rarely been reported in adults and the diagnostic criteria are not consensual in the reviewed literature. Thus any diagnostic confirmation should be flexible. There are many therapeutic symptomatic options in such cases, ranging from pharmacologic approach, use of bilevel positive airway pressure and implantation of diaphragmatic pacemaker.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/15. Helmet noninvasive ventilation for weaning from mechanical ventilation.We saw a patient who presented with carbon dioxide narcosis and acute respiratory failure due to an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We intubated and 12 hours later he had recovered consciousness and could cooperate with noninvasive ventilation, at which point we extubated and used a helmet to provide noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation in assist/control mode, and then during the ventilator-weaning process, pressure support, and finally continuous positive airway pressure. The patient had no complications from the helmet, and he was discharged from intensive care 48 hours after helmet ventilation was initiated. Helmet noninvasive ventilation is a potentially valuable ventilator-weaning method for certain patients.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.6keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/15. An unusual presentation and way to diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma.A 67-year-old man with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was admitted with acute progression of dyspnoea, productive cough, fever, elevated central venous pressure, oedema and liver enzyme abnormalities. Pneumonia with secondary right-sided congestive heart failure was considered. Additional abdominal ultrasound examination confirmed by a CT scan showed a mass in the inferior vena cava (VCI) extending into the right atrium. The central liver location and impaired haemostasis rendered liver biopsy impossible. An alternative approach was discussed and guided by two-dimensional transoesophageal electrocardiography accessing the right internal jugular vein, biopsies were taken from the atrial mass with histology suggesting the presence of a hepatocellular carcinoma as the cause of acute dyspnoea.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/15. vertebral artery dissection following intravascular catheter placement: a case report and review of the literature.Vertebral artery dissections (VAD) are known to occur as a result of mechanical manipulations of the cervical region, traumatic injury, iatrogenic injury and are also known to arise spontaneously. We report a case of vertebral artery dissection following vertebral artery cannulation during a central line placement and review the literature. The patient underwent intravascular catheter placement that subsequently demonstrated arterial blood. Duplex ultrasound and computed tomographic (CT) scan confirmed vertebral artery cannulation. The catheter was removed at the bedside with pressure, and a subsequent duplex ultrasound scan revealed a vertebral artery dissection. There were no neurological sequelae. The patient was successfully anticoagulated with warfarin but died from unrelated complications. This case report describes the rare iatrogenic event of VAD and reviews its etiology, diagnosis, complications, and management.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = pressure (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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