Pulmonary function in chronic respiratory failure of infancy.

We studied pulmonary function in 7 infants age 3-16 months who were dependent upon mechanical ventilation due to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Raised lower expiratory airway resistance (RAe), low dynamic lung compliance (CL) and rapid respiratory frequency (f) characterized the breathing pattern in these infants. End-tidal carbon dioxide tension (PECO2) was elevated in spite of abnormally high minute ventilation (VE).

External stent for repair of secondary tracheomalacia.

Tracheomalacia was created in anesthetized piglets by submucosal resection of 3 to 5 tracheal cartilages. Measurements of airway pressure and flow showed that expiratory airway resistance is maximal at low lung volumes and is significantly increased by creation of the malacic segment. Cervical flexion increases expiratory airway resistance, whereas hyperextension of the neck reduces resistance toward normal.

Postoperative respiratory care: a controlled trial of early and late extubation following coronary-artery bypass grafting.

Sequelae of early versus late extubation of the trachea in patients following coronary-artery bypass grafting were compared prospectively in 38 patients randomly assigned to one of the two groups. The times to extubation were 2 +/- 2 and 18 +/- 3 hours after operation for the two groups. Comparisons were made between groups for the following five variables: time spent in the intensive care unit; drug utilization in the intensive care unit; cardiopulmonary morbidity; hemodynamic performance; patient stress (plasma norepinephrine levels).