Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation for severe thoracic trauma.

A 35-year-old man was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) following a road traffic accident. He had sustained severe trauma to the left side of his chest, as well as other musculoskeletal injuries. After a short initial period of ventilation of the lungs via a tracheal tube, he was managed using a combination of continuous positive airway pressure and non-invasive positive pressure ventilation. He avoided ventilator-associated pneumonia, and spent a large part of his time on the ICU without any invasive monitoring lines, another potential focus of infection. He was discharged from the ICU after 25 days without having suffered any septic complications. The role of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation in severe thoracic trauma is discussed.