Conservative management of flail chest after cardiopulmonary resuscitation by continuous negative extrathoracic pressure
ABSTRACT
Flail chest after blunt trauma usually requires good paincontrol and positive pressure support. Continuous negativeextrathoracic pressure (CNEP) causes a splinting effectaround the anterior chest wall and upper abdomen whichincreases functional residual capacity and improves lungmechanics. We report an 82-year-old woman with flailchest after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. She underwentmechanical ventilation, with two failed attempts atextubation. She was subsequently ventilated non-invasivelyusing CNEP, allowing early successful extubation. This caseillustrates the use of CNEP for weaning and ventilatingpatients with flail chest after blunt trauma.
Crit Care Resusc 2006; 8: 339-340
