Abstract

ABSTRACT:

OBJECTIVE:

To report the immediate use of High-Frequency Oscillatory ventilation in an adult acute respiratory distress syndrome.

DESIGN:

Case report.

SETTING:

Intensive care unit at the Military Teaching Hospital of Toulon.

PATIENT:

A 64-yr-old Caucasian male who developed acute respiratory distress syndrome in the course of severe falciparum malaria.

INTERVENTION:

Initial use of HFO to minimise ventilator-induced lung injury.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS:

Rapid improvement of PaO2/fraction of inspired oxygen from 172 mmHg (NIV) to 310 mmHg with HFO. No ventilator-induced injury on CT scan after 5 days of invasive ventilation.

CONCLUSION:

In contrast with previous studies, we successfully used lung protective ventilation with HFO immediately. Further studies, with immediate, rather than rescue use of HFO ventilation, are needed.