TY - JOUR T1 - A novel way of heliox administration in patients with COPD exacerbation JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 38 IS - Suppl 55 SP - p5010 AU - Roman Zazula AU - Karel Roubik AU - Tomas Tyll AU - Martin Müller AU - Vladimir Zabrodsky AU - Jan Chlumsky AU - Adela Strnadova AU - Antonin Spaleny AU - Petr Stastny Y1 - 2011/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p5010.abstract N2 - Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality throughout the world. The purpose of heliox (helium and oxygen mixture) administration in patients with severe COPD exacerbation is to avoid invasive ventilation which is recognized as an adverse prognostic factor.Aims: The aim of the study is to test suitability of a modified semi-closed anesthetic circuit with CO2 absorber for heliox administration. The circuit may offer a safe way of heliox administration to spontaneously breathing patients at significantly reduced costs.Methods: The semi-closed circuit was evaluated by work of breathing (WOB) measurement in healthy volunteers (N=9) who signed the informed consent. An esophageal balloon catheter was used for esophageal pressure measurement. The resistive component of WOB and pressure-time product (PTP) were calculated; O2 consumption and end-tidal CO2 were evaluated. These parameters were compared with the corresponding parameters obtained during spontaneous ventilation on air.Results: WOB was increased by 15% and PTP was increased by 12% during the spontaneous ventilation with heliox using the semi-closed circuit compared to the ventilation on air.Conclusion: The study showed that administration of heliox using the semi-closed circuit increases WOB and PTP for a patient due to the intrinsic resistance of the circuit. Nevertheless, as resistance of the airways and WOB are increased significantly in patients with COPD exacerbation, the heliox administration using the semi-closed circuit does not represent a significant workload for patients with COPD exacerbation.Supported by grant IGA MHCR NS10087-4/2008, MSM grant 6840770012 and grant GACR 102/08/H018. ER -