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Updated: Jun 17, 2026
07:27
Robotic-assisted Left Pneumonectomy For Vanishing Lung Syndrome
Published on: January 23, 2026
[A lung specialist in ALS care: towards less pessimism]
Dan Adler1, Olivier Contal, Jean-Paul Janssens
1Service de pneumologie, HUG, 1211 Genève 14. dan.adler@hcuge.ch
Revue Medicale Suisse
|January 8, 2010
Summary
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) management requires multidisciplinary care, focusing on respiratory function, nutrition, and autonomy. Early assessment and patient involvement in treatment decisions are crucial for optimal outcomes in ALS patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pulmonology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Context:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease impacting motor neurons.
- Patients experience progressive loss of autonomy, respiratory muscle dysfunction, and ineffective cough.
- Multidisciplinary care is essential for managing ALS complications.
Purpose:
- To provide an evidence-based review on respiratory care for patients with ALS.
- To highlight key assessments for monitoring ALS progression.
- To emphasize the importance of patient education and shared decision-making.
Summary:
- Key assessments for ALS patients include spirometry, blood gases, nocturnal oximetry, cough peak-flow, and body weight monitoring.
- Respiratory failure is a major concern secondary to respiratory muscle dysfunction and ineffective cough.
- Informing patients about ALS progression and treatment options empowers them in therapeutic decisions.
Impact:
- Optimizing respiratory care can improve quality of life for ALS patients.
- Early identification of respiratory decline facilitates timely interventions.
- Shared decision-making enhances patient adherence and satisfaction with ALS management.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Assessment of Respiration
The respiratory system's basic structures and primary functions lay the foundation for nurses' comprehensive respiratory assessments. This assessment includes subjective and objective data to gauge the patient's respiratory health.
Subjective Assessment: Nurses interview the patient to gather information directly during the subjective assessment. It includes questions about the individual's medical history, medications, and symptoms, focusing on past respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD,...
Subjective Assessment: Nurses interview the patient to gather information directly during the subjective assessment. It includes questions about the individual's medical history, medications, and symptoms, focusing on past respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD,...
01:26COPD: Management Using Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids
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01:30Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
Nursing management of pneumonia involves promoting airway patency, facilitating rest and conserving energy, encouraging fluid intake, maintaining nutrition, and educating patients.
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed.
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed.
01:10Atelectasis II: Pathophysiology
Atelectasis develops when alveoli lose their air and collapse inward. Because lung tissue is naturally elastic, these air sacs shrink rather than remaining open. Collapsed alveoli are no longer ventilated, reducing their role in gas exchange. Blood flow may continue in these regions, creating a ventilation–perfusion mismatch. Clinical findings include decreased breath sounds, dullness to percussion, reduced chest expansion, and decreased tactile fremitus as sound transmission through collapsed...
01:17Other Pulmonary Disorders
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01:19Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications
Respiratory assessment is a cornerstone of nursing assessments, crucial for the early detection of patient deterioration. This evaluation transcends routine procedures, representing a critical skill nurses must master to ensure optimal patient care.
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...