[Quantification of the acute respiratory insufficiency of laryngo-tracheal origin]

Acute respiratory insufficiency defines that status in which the respiratory system is not able to supply the metabolic requirements of the organism. The laryngo-tracheal segment plays an important role in the respiratory function, an obstruction at this level inducing an important limitation of oxygen intake. Due to the requirement of fast repermeabilisation of this segment, it is necessary to define all criteria (clinical and laboratory examination) required to diagnose and to evaluate the respiratory failure. The present paper depicts the clinical aspects, the acid-base equilibrium impairment induced by high level airway obstruction and the functional investigations available by ventilation tests.