BRIDGING TO LUNG TRANSPLANT USING NONINVASIVE VENTILATORY SUPPORT: A CASEREPORT

Abstract

Noninvasive Ventilatory Support has demonstrated to improve survival of patients with ventilatory pump muscle failure and nocturnal noninvasive ventilation is useful in chronic lung disease, even bridging to lung transplant. We present a 14 years old girl with severe hypoxemic chronic lung disease and secondary ventilatory failure, who required continuous long-term ventilation and underwent a tracheostomy waiting for lung transplant. After reevaluated the airway patency the patient was decannulated to Noninvasive Ventilation Support, alternating nocturnal nasal mask with diurnal mouth piece in order to provide efficient respiratory muscle rest, made air stacking and improved cough flow. This plan allows safe decannulation to continuous Noninvasive Ventilatory Support tailoring a rehabilitation cardiorespiratory program. Usually, Noninvasive Ventilation Support is prescribed for primary respiratory pump muscles failure, but in this case, it was applied for a hypoxemic chronic lung disease. Clear benefits were observed leading to appropriate oxygenation, good cardiovascular performance with better tolerance to exercise for training in the preparatory scenario of a lung transplant.