RESUMEN
Ventilatory alternatives to prolong noninvasive ventilation in COVID-19 patients are attractive and poorly understood. New devices to deliver negative noninvasive ventilation as biphasic cuirass ventilation (BCV) have been introduced. BCV device assist in spontaneous breathing and support ventilation. We describe a case of the combination of BCV with high-flow nasal oxygenation (HFNO) in the treatment of a COVID-19 pneumonia patient that required prolonged NIV leading to face mask intolerance, ventilator dependency secondary to residual lung fibrosis and respiratory muscular weakness. BCV provides an efficient non-invasive approach in de-escalation of therapy and weaning of prolonged NIV.
RESUMEN
This paper consists of a clinical image of an unexpected complication of a pleural space infection that dissects through the pleura into the soft tissues of the chest in an immunocompromised patient.
RESUMEN
Pneumonitis associated with fluoropolymer waterproofing agents, an entity with few reported cases, can result from occupational exposure. This condition has a rapid onset after exposure, usually resolves with supportive treatment but there could be chronic sequelae. The authors report the case of a 48-year-old male patient admitted to hospital with acute onset of dyspnea and chest pain after using an aerosolized fluoropolymer-containing waterproofing product. He presented tachypnea, leukocytosis, elevated C reactive protein, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase and hypoxemic respiratory failure. Chest computed tomography revealed bilateral ground-glass opacities with peribronchovascular distribution. The patient was treated with oxygen and corticosteroid therapy, with clinical improvement. This chemical pneumonitis represents a diagnostic challenge since it implies a history of exposure to toxic agents and the pathophysiological mechanisms and safe exposure limits are still unknown.
A pneumonite associada a impermeabilizantes com fluoropolímeros é uma entidade com poucos casos relatados e que pode resultar duma exposição ocupacional. Esta condição tem um início rápido após a exposição, que geralmente se resolve com tratamento de suporte, podendo resultar em sequelas crónicas. Os autores relatam o caso de um homem de 48 anos admitido no hospital com quadro agudo de dispneia e dor torácica após uso de impermeabilizante que continha fluoropolímeros em aerossol. Apresentava taquipneia, leucocitose, proteína C reativa elevada, níveis séricos de lactato desidrogenase elevados e insuficiência respiratória hipoxémica. A tomografia computadorizada do tórax revelou opacidades em vidro despolido bilaterais com distribuição peribroncovascular. O doente foi tratado com oxigenoterapia e corticoterapia com melhoria clínica. Esta pneumonite química representa um diagnóstico desafiante já que implica uma história de exposição a tóxicos, sendo que a fisiopatologia e os limites de segurança de exposição ainda são desconhecidos.