[Attempt at "conservative medical treatment" in the decompensations of chronic respiratory insufficiencies]. / Essai d'un "traitement médical conservateur" dans les décompensations des insuffisances respiratoires chroniques

Study of 37 acute respiratory decompensations occurring in 28 patients over a 6 years period (1969-1975). They were given a systematic "conservative treatment" associating ventilation with a mask or a mouthpiece, physiotherapy and various drugs, intubation being used only in case of failure of this treatment. On the whole 22 compensations were cured by this treatment alone (59%) and the 15 cases that were not were given classical reanimation. Six deaths were reported (16%). Definitely better than those of DUBOIS and PRIGNOT, these results were perhaps due to differences of recruitment, but also to the systematic use of a mechanical ventilatory assistance instead of a continuous oxygen therapy. With attentive care, this category of patients could be given an assisted external but early ventilation, thus sparing them a tracheal intubation more than once out of twice.