NONINVASIVE POSITIVE PRESSURE VENTILATION - A SUCCESSFUL THERAPY FOR BRIDGING WHILE AWAITING LUNG TRANSPLANTATION

Background: Non-invasive mechanical ventilation is used with success f or ventilatory failure due to derangements of the respiratory pump. Ef ficacy in pulmonary diseases is controversial. Still non-invasive inte rmittent ventilation is reported as a mean of bridging the period till lung transplantation can be performed. Patients and Methods: We repor t of 20 patients from 5 centers who were treated with non-invasive int ermittent ventilation while lung transplantion was planned. Results an d Conclusion:Non-invasive intermittent ventilation was seen as success ful in 14 patients. Of these 4 are transplanted after up to 2 years, 4 are still waiting, 2 have not yet entered a lung transplantation prog ram, 1 continued non-invasive intermittent ventilation after refusal t o be enlisted, 3 meanwhile died. In the group of non-successful non-in vasive intermittent ventilation 2 patients were transplanted after a s hea waiting period. All remaining 4 patients died. It seems that non-i nvasive intermittent ventilation may be helpful in prolonging the peri od of survival while waiting for lung transplantation.