ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of respiratory support with high frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) in severely burned patients with inhalation injury during early postburn stage.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty severely burned patients with TBSA of 79.6 +/- 29.3% and inhalation injury were enrolled in the study. Nineteen cases received tracheostomy after admission and only one received nasal intubation. All the patients underwent HFJV to correct hypoxia. The changes in blood gas analysis, respiratory rate and pulse were recorded before and 11 days after the ventilation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Tracheostomy was performed on 2.7 +/- 2.4 postburn days (PBDs), and HFJV was given during 4.4 +/- 2.9 PBDs. PaO(2) was evidently higher during 1 - 3 days after HFJV than that before the ventilation (P < 0.01) and remained at high level for 1 week after HFJV. There was no change in PaCO(2), respiratory rate and pulse during the ventilation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HFJV was beneficial in improving oxygenation and without any obvious side effects during the early management of severely burned patients with inhalation injury. This might be an optimal respiratory support pattern.</p>