Treatment of acute respiratory failure by prolonged non-invasive ventilation in a child.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility and the efficacy of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) by nasal mask in a paediatric patient.


METHODS
A four-year-old girl with acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL L1, pre-pre B) complicated by acute respiratory failure was treated with NIV. ON admission she exhibited hyperpyrexia (40C), pancytopaenia and severe hypoxia with hypocapnia (PaO2 = 45 mmHg; PaCO2 = 28.2 mmHG; pH = 7.30; SpO2 = 76%; ABE = -7.3 mmol.L-1. With NIV, PaO2 improved (PaO2 = 78 +/- 8 mmHG; SpO2 = 86 +/- 2; PaCO2 = 39 +/- 2) throughout the first day. Treatment was continued for six days until the patient was discharged. No complications were recorded.


CONCLUSIONS
Non-invasive ventilation by nasal mask may represent a choice in the treatment of acute respiratory failure of parenchymal origin in paediatric haematological patients.
Marino
P
P
Institute of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, University of Rome, La Sapienza, Italy.
Rosa
G
G
Conti
G
G
Cogliati
A A
AA
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008397:Masks; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000150:complications; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome