• N Ambrosino and F Guarracino.
• Pulmonary and Respiratory Intensive Care Unit, Cardio-Thoracic Department, University Hospital Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
• Eur. Respir. J. 2011 Aug 1;38(2):440-9.

AbstractThe use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in acute hypercapnic respiratory failure, cardiogenic pulmonary oedema, acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), community-acquired pneumonia and weaning/post-extubation failure is considered common in clinical practice. Herein, we review the use of NIV in unusual conditions. Evidence supports the use of NIV during fibreoptic bronchoscopy, especially with high risks of endotracheal intubation (ETI), such as in immunocompromised patients. During transoesophageal echocardiography as well as in interventional cardiology and pulmonology, NIV can reduce the need for deep sedation or general anaesthesia and prevent respiratory depression induced by deep sedation. NIV may be useful after surgery, including cardiac surgery, and, with a lower level of evidence, in patients with pulmonary contusion. NIV should not be considered as an alternative to ETI in severe communicable airborne infections likely to progress to ARDS. NIV is being used increasingly as an alternative to ETI in end-stage symptomatic patients, especially to relieve dyspnoea. The role of assisted ventilation during exercise training in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients is still controversial. NIV should be applied under close monitoring and ETI should be promptly available in the case of failure. A trained team, careful patient selection and optimal choice of devices, can optimise outcome of NIV.

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