PROLONGED INHALATION OF NITRIC-OXIDE AS A THERAPEUTIC MEASURE IN ADULT-RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS-SYNDROME - REPORT OF ONE CASE

Inhalation therapy with nitric oxide has been suggested as beneficial in the adult respiratory distress syndrome, however there are few repo rts of its prolonged use. We report a patient with a chronic lymphocyt ic leukemia that developed an adult respiratory distress syndrome with severe hypoxemia, refractory to conventional therapeutic measures, du ring the course of a septic shock. The patient received nitric oxide ( 19 ppm) improving arterial oxygen saturation and allowing the reductio n of FiO(2) to 40%. The patient died five days later due to a multiple organ failure.