Abstract
Aim: to describe the results of noninvasive ventilation [NIV] in the early postoperative period of lung transplantation [LT]
Methods: restrospective study of NIV in the early postoperative period of LT patients from October 2008 to December 2011. Patients were selected for postextubation NIV according to their performance in spontaneous breathing t-tube trial and clinical criteria of the LT team. Data regarding to pretransplant condition, surgical procedures and early postoperative management were recorded.
Results: During this period 41 patients had LT. Principal indications were due to COPD (45,2%), Usual Interstitial Pneumonitis [UIP] (16,7%) and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis [IPF] (11,9%). Four patients have had home NIV, all of them due to COPD. Twelve patients (29,2%) received NIV in the early postoperative period (NIV group), 6 of them had IPF, 5 COPD and 7 (58,3%) had billateral LT. There were no statistical significant differences between NIV and Non-NIV groups in the pretansplant nor in the postransplant variable analyzed.
Conclusions: NIV can be a useful tool in the early postextubation period of lung transplantation. We observed a diminution of ICU length stay in the NIV group, although the difference was not statistical significant.
- © 2012 ERS