Intrahospital transport of a patient with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease under noninvasive ventilation

Excerpt

Sir: Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) is being used increasingly in patients with acute respiratory failure in the ICU setting. NPPV appears particularly advantageous in patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as it decreases mortality, the need for endotracheal intubation, and the length of hospital stay [1]. ICU patients frequently require transportation to alternative locations, such as the radiology department or the catheter laboratory [2]. NPPV was not possible with older transport ventilators as these did not provide adequate ventilation modes for NPPV. Transport ventilators of the latest generation offer several advantages, including new ventilation modes (bilevel positive airway pressure mode, pressure-supported spontaneous breathing). Precise concentrations of oxygen can also be delivered, and both monitoring and alarm features are far more sophisticated than in the past. …