title: [Life-sustaining mechanical ventilation care for children with progressive or degenerative brain disorders].
abstract: In the past 10 years, we have treated 25 patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency due to a progressive or degenerative brain disorder. Ten patients died and the other 15 survived. Five of the former and 12 of the latter received life-sustaining mechanical ventilation care. Even in the terminal stage of progressive or degenerative brain disorders, patients can survive for a longer period than previously, if life-sustaining mechanical ventilation care is given. In Japan we do not have a guideline for medical indication or decision-making for children with progressive or degenerative brain disorders. Whenever we see such patients, we have great difficulty in making a decision. It may therefore be necessary to discuss whether we should have such a guideline.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Neurology, National Center Hospital for Mental Nervous and Muscular Disorders, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hanaoka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukumizu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaga
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy*