Home care therapy for respirator-dependent patients.
Our experience with 13 patients suffering from various ventilatory disorders who received mechanical ventilation at home for periods between 1 and 12 years is presented. Seven of the 13 patients were ventilated by positive pressure via tracheostomy, 3 by negative body ventilators and 3 by exufflation belt and positive pressure. Only a few hospitalizations were required due to pulmonary complications, and there was no case of sudden death occurring at home. Costs of home care for respirator-dependent patients, including the initial investment of home equipment, are much lower than the costs of long-term hospital care. A comprehensive home care program should be the preferred choice for medically stable ventilator-dependent patients.
Wolf
E
E
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Bikur Holim Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Penchas
S
S
Werczberger
A
A
Molcho
M
M
Maayan
C
C
Sazbon
L
L
Ohry
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000191:economics*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000191:economics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*