title: Noninvasive ventilation in large postoperative flail chest.
abstract: An 11-year-old male developed a severe respiratory failure due to a iatrogenic flail chest following a surgery for removing a large chest wall area. A rare Ewing sarcoma was histologically diagnosed and intensive chemotherapy was administered. Postoperatively, because of the failure in ventilation weaning, the patient was electively extubated and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation through face-mask was provided. Respiratory support avoided asynchronous paradoxical movements and achieved pneumatic stabilization. Clinical and respiratory improvement allowed a successful weaning from ventilator.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Catholic University Medical School, A.Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy. cecile.colavolpe@ap-hm.fr
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piastra
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zorzi
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruggiero
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antonelli
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pietrini
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005409:Flail Chest / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008400:Mass Chest X-Ray; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D015300:Ventilator Weaning