title: [Responding to patients with home mechanical ventilation after the Great East Japan Earthquake and during the planned power outages. How should we be prepared for a future disaster ?].
abstract: The unprecedented earthquake(magnitude-9 in the Japanese seismic intensity scale)hit off the east coast of Japan on March 11, 2011. Consequently, there were planned power outages in the area nearby Tokyo to avoid massive blackouts caused by a stoppage of Fukushima nuclear plants.Our clinic located in Kawasaki city was also hit by the earthquake(magnitude- 5).During the period of two months(March and April 2011), we had a total of 52 patients with home respiratory care (5-TPPV, 11-NPPV and 36-HOT)at that time.Two out of three 24 hour-TPPV users had no external battery.After the earthquake, there was a 7-hour electricity failure in some areas, and a patient with ASV(adaptive servo ventilator)was living there.Moreover, 3-hour/day power outages were carried out from March 14 to March 28, affecting people's everyday lives. However, the patient had no harmful influences from the power failure because a ventilation company lent us an external battery(4-9 hour life capacity)for the patients, and we were able to avoid an emergency situation caused by the power failure.In conclusion, we ought to be prepared for patients with home mechanical ventilation in the future toward unforeseen large scale power outages.
authors.affiliation: Iki-iki Clinic.
authors.forename: Yukako
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takechi
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000628:therapy; D004189:Disaster Planning; D055866:Earthquakes; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D012121:Respiration, Artificial