Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases
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Noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) is known to reduce hypoventilation and improves respiratory and peripheral muscle endurance in patients with chronic respiratory failure (CRF) due to thoracic restriction. ⋯ NIV improved endurance only in the non-COPD group. This and the reduction in CO(2) are achieved by lowering energetic requirements. COPD patients though decreased their resting CO(2) by increased minute ventilation.
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Interventional bronchoscopy is widely used for the diagnosis and therapy of many lung and airway diseases. Concern has been raised about its complications. ⋯ Bronchoscopy is a safe procedure. The increased rate of severe complications and death associated with bronchoscopy may be ascribed to the increasingly wide use of bronchoscopy.
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The field of computer-assisted mapping of lung sounds is constantly evolving and several devices have been developed in this field. ⋯ The VRI device may provide a new perspective in acoustic imaging and quantification of breath sounds by adding aspects of time analysis and quantification of distribution to existing methods. Further studies will be required in order to establish reliability of repeated recordings and to validate the sensitivity of the system in detecting various lung pathologies.