POSITIVE PRESSURE RESPIRATION IN THE TREATMENT OF IRRITANT PULMONARY EDEMA DUE TO CHLORINE GAS POISONING

Abstract

The development of positive pressure respiration by Barach and Eckman^lin the United States and by Poulton²in England made possible a specialized form of inhalational therapy for bronchial asthma, laryngotracheal obstruction and acute pulmonary edema. The physiologic effects of pressure breathing, the results of its continuous application clinically and various methods of administration have been described previously³. In cases of irritant pulmonary edema in which a continued exudation of serum from the capillaries into the alveoli takes place, despite rest and oxygen therapy, drainage through the respiratory passageway is impeded and bronchopneumonia and death may result. The administration of positive pressure to combat edema of the lungs produced by gas poisoning was suggested by Barach, Martin and Eckman⁴in 1938 in a paper dealing with the therapeutic advantages of positive pressure in the treatment of clinical pulmonary edema. Mention was there made of a case of edema