Revista médica de Chile
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Revista médica de Chile · Jan 1996
[Extracorporeal respiratory assistance. Experience in the treatment of severe acute respiratory failure].
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to systemic injury has a high mortality. Symptomatic treatment with mechanical ventilation, PEEP and high levels of inspired oxygen is effective for most of the patients. When ventilatory support fails in reversing hypoxemia, extracorporeal respiratory assistance has been advocated as a temporary treatment until lung repair occurs. ⋯ Extracorporeal assistance was maintained for 52 +/- 34 h (19-134). Five (45%) patients were weaned off the pump and two (18%) survived and were discharged. Despite the high cost, extracorporeal respiratory assistance, when applied to selected patients, can reverse hypoxia and may save some previously unsalvagable patients, allowing them to return to a normal life.