PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Belchior, Inês
AU  - Gonçalves, Miguel R
AU  - Winck, João Carlos
TI  - Continuous Noninvasive Ventilation Delivered by a Novel Total Face Mask: A Case Series Report
AID  - 10.4187/respcare.01275
DP  - 2012 Mar 01
TA  - Respiratory Care
PG  - 449--453
VI  - 57
IP  - 3
4099  - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/57/3/449.short
4100  - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/57/3/449.full
AB  - Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has been widely used to decrease the complications associated with tracheal intubation in mechanically ventilated patients. However, nasal ulcerations may occur when conventional masks are used for continuous ventilation. A total face mask, which has no contact with the more sensitive areas of the face, is a possible option. We describe 3 patients with acute respiratory failure due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, who developed nasal bridge skin necrosis during continuous NIV, and one patient with post-extubation respiratory failure due to a high spinal cord injury, who had facial trauma with contraindication for conventional mask use. The total face mask was very well tolerated by all the patients, and permitted safe and efficient continuous NIV for several days until the acute respiratory failure episode resolved. None of the patients required endotracheal intubation during the acute episode.