Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 5, 25-28, Copyright © 1958 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Postoperative Treatment with Artificial Respiration of Two Thoracic Surgical Patients

¹ Wellcome Research Department of Anaesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, PQ

This paper describes the prolonged treatment by intermittent positive pressure respiration through a tracheostomy of two patients who developed respiratory failure following operation.

One patient had a seven-rib thoracoplasty on the right side and, because of subsequent infection of her left lung from the incompletely closed cavity under the thoracoplasty, had a right pneumonectomy. Following this the right chest wall was completely lax so that respiration and coughing were inefficient. Acute infection developed in the lung and respiratory failure followed. Treatment was by artificial respiration for twenty-eight days through a tracheostomy using an intermittent positive-negative pressure respirator which had a patient demand valve. The chest wall became firm and recovery followed.

The second patient developed a broncho-pleural fistula following right upper lobectomy for a tuberculous excavation of the right upper lobe. This was treated by thoracoplasty. Respiratory failure followed and he was treated by intermittent positive pressure respiration for twenty-one days. He died twenty-one days later from myocardial infarction.

Note:

Presented at the Annual Meeting, Canadian Anaesthetists' Society, Mont Tremblant, P.Q., June 20–22, 1956.