title: [Endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation in severe asthma].
abstract: Retrospective analysis of all patients with acute bronchial asthma who required intubation and mechanical ventilation was performed in 1987-1993. Our study group comprised 29 patients with a total of 31 episodes of mechanical ventilation. Indications for intubation and ventilation were cardio-respiratory arrest in 9 episodes, and deterioration of clinical status despite aggressive therapy in 22 episodes. Mechanical ventilation strategy was to avoid high air-way pressures of more than 50 cm H2O even if respiratory acidosis persisted. The risk of barotrauma was thus eliminated; other complications were few and reversible, and all patients survived. We conclude that intubation and mechanical ventilation in severe asthma is beneficial and safe, and the prognosis very good.
authors.affiliation: General Intensive Care Unit, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lewinsohn
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Klinowski
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leonov
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D011379:Prognosis; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies