High-frequency oscillatory ventilation in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Purpose: High-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) is usually considered not indicated for treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) because of the theoretical risk of air trapping and hyperinflation. The aim of our study was to establish whether HFOV can be safely applied in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD and hypercapnic respiratory failure.

Methods: Ten patients (age, 63-83 years) requiring intensive care treatment who failed on noninvasive ventilation were studied.