Noninvasive Respiratory Management for Patients with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

Objective: To verify the safety and clinical utility of non-invasive respiratory management as an alternative method of invasive respiratory management for the patients with cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) who often present with ventilatory insufficiency (due to inspiratory muscle paralysis) or difficulty in removing airway secretions (because of expiratory muscle weakness). Method: Nineteen patients with CSCI (male: 15, female: 4, mean age: 45.6) were recruited. All of the patients were in need of mechanical ventilation due to ventilatory failure or indwelling tracheostomy tube for secretion management. In order to switch from invasive to noninvasive means of respiratory management, expiratory muscle aids such as manual assist or CoughAassist (R) and inspiratory muscle aids such as noninvasive ventilatory support were applied to all candidates. Results: Fifteen out of the 19 patients had indwelling tracheostomy tubes, and the remaining 4 patients were intubated via endotracheal tubes at admission. Through the noninvasive respiratory management, we were able to remove intubation or traheostomy tubes for all of the patients. Eleven patients were able to maintain normal ventilation status without ventilatory support, as time went on. The rest 8 patients were continuously in need of ventilatory support, but they could maintain normal ventilation status by noninvasive method. Conclusion: Noninvasive respiratory management is safe and equally effective in treating ventilatory insufficiency or removing airway secretions for patients with CSCI. In cases of long-term ventilator dependency or chronic tracheostomy state, it can be replaced as a creditable alternative to invasive respiratory management.