[Artificial respiration at home--an exceptional form of intensive care]

A couple with a child suffering from transverse lesion of the spinal cord with respiratory paralysis were greatly interested in taking care of him at home. After making technical and organisational preparations we transferred the child to his home with a respiratory machine. The child has now been at home for 3 years. Although the successful course of this home respirator treatment shows the correctness of our decision, we look upon such a procedure as an exception.