title: Severe hyperventilation and respiratory alkalosis during pressure-support ventilation: report of a hazard.
abstract: A 53-year-old woman with a flaccid quadriparesis developed severe hyperventilation and respiratory alkalosis during pressure-support ventilation. A gas leak in the ventilator system caused a loss of positive end-expiratory pressure and autocycling of the ventilator. Large ventilator breaths were then delivered because a high level of pressure support was set in a patient with low respiratory impedance. The complication is rare and its occurrence requires a combination of patient and equipment factors. Awareness of the responsible factors will promote detection and prevention of the hazard.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Chui
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Joynt
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000472:Alkalosis, Respiratory / Q000209:etiology*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006985:Hyperventilation / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation