Non-invasive management of an acute chest infection for a patient with ALS.
We describe a man diagnosed with non-bulbar amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who uses 24-h non-invasive ventilator at home, and assisted cough through the use of the mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MAC) device (CoughAssist, J.H. Emerson). This was essential for the removal of bronchial secretions in order to provide successful non-invasive management (and indeed less suffering for the patient) during an acute respiratory tract infection with hypoxemia and failure of manually assisted cough.
Servera
E
E
Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Clínico Universitario and Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain. Emilio.Severa@uv.es
Sancho
J
J
Gómez-Merino
E
E
Briones
M L
ML
Vergara
P
P
Pérez
D
D
Marín
J
J
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods; D012138:Respiratory Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy*