Medical Management

• Medical Management - Intubation and ventilation:

  • Rests the respiratory muscles to allow spontaneous recovery e.g. Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS)
  • Allows suctioning of secretions via suction tube due to weak cough
  • Prevents aspiration and further complications if unable to protect own airway
  • Must be an element of reversibility - patient has to have a condition that will improve with medical management e.g. GBS, not DMD and MND
• Medical Management - Non-invasive ventilation:

  • used for patients with acute exacerbations where intubation is inappropriate
  • Long term nocturnal ventilation - improves survival, daytime ABG recordings and quality of life in patients with DMD