• Rodrigo Cornejo, Carlos Romero, Daniela Goñi, Rafael Luengas, Osvaldo Llanos, Ricardo Gálvez, and José Castro.
• Unidad de Pacientes Críticos, Hospital Clínico, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile. rcornejor@redclinicauchile.cl
• Rev Med Chil. 2009 Oct 1;137(10):1351-6.

AbstractManagement of patients with severe respiratory failure is mainly supportive, and protective mechanical ventilation is the pivotal treatment. When conventional therapy is insufficient to improve oxygenation without deleterious effects, other strategies should be considered. We report a 53 year-old male who presented a severe respiratory failure refractory to conventional management after pneumonectomy. Prone position ventilation was used for 36 hours. Respiratory variables improved and he did not show hemodynamic instability. He was returned to the supine position without worsening of oxygenation parameters. Extended prone position ventilation could be considered in patients presenting with unresponsive severe respiratory failure after pulmonary resection.

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