Walking with continuous positive airway pressure

• Published in: The European respiratory journal Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 853 - 855
• Main Authors: Dieperink, W, Goorhuis, J. F, de Weerd, W, Hazenberg, A, Zijlstra, J. G, Nijsten, M. W. N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leeds Eur Respiratory Soc 01.04.2006; Maney
• Subjects: Abnormalities, Multiple - physiopathology; Abnormalities, Multiple - therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Continuous Positive Airway Pressure - instrumentation; Developmental Disabilities - physiopathology; Developmental Disabilities - therapy; Diaphragm - abnormalities; Diaphragm - physiopathology; Equipment Design; Female; Heart Defects, Congenital - physiopathology; Heart Defects, Congenital - therapy; Hernia, Umbilical - physiopathology; Hernia, Umbilical - therapy; Home Care Services; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; Medical sciences; Pericardium - abnormalities; Pneumology; Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases; Sternum - abnormalities; Tracheostomy - instrumentation; Walking - physiology; Human; Lung disease; Diseases of the trachea; Respiratory disease; Continuous; Chronic disease; Infant; chronic lung disease of infancy; Artificial ventilation; Tracheotomy; Boussignac; continuous positive airway pressure; tracheostomy; Walking; Treatment; Positive pressure; Tracheobronchomalacia; Surgery; Bronchus disease; Mechanical ventilation
• ISSN: 0903-1936; 1399-3003
• DOI: 10.1183/09031936.06.00031305

A ventilator-dependent child had been in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) ever since birth. As a result, she had fallen behind considerably in her development. After 18 months, continuous positive airway pressure was successfully administered via a tracheostomy tube with a novel lightweight device. This enabled her to walk in the PICU. With this device, the child was discharged home where she could walk with an action range of 10 m. Subsequently, her psychomotor development improved remarkably. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report of a patient, adult or paediatric, who could actually walk with a sufficient radius of action while receiving long-term respiratory support.