Ventilatory insufficiency due to asbestos-related diffuse pleural fibrosissuccessfully treated with noninvasive home mechanical ventilation

A 54-year-old man with diffuse pleural fibrosis due to previous asbestos ex posure developed hypercapnic respiratory failure. Noninvasive mechanical ve ntilation (NIMV) was started at the hospital and maintained at the patient' s home, achieving reversal of the respiratory failure. During a 2-year foll ow-up, NIMV has been well tolerated by the patient and no relapse in ventil atory failure has occurred. Home NIMV can be considered as an alternative t o pleural decortication in asbestos-related diffuse pleural fibrosis with v entilatory insufficiency. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.