Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 27, 2025

A Novel Rescue Technique for Difficult Intubation and Difficult Ventilation
Published on: January 17, 2011
Noninvasive ventilation and high-flow nasal oxygen for acute respiratory failure: is less more?
Arnaud W Thille1,2, Rémi Coudroy1,2, Jean-Pierre Frat1,2
1Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Poitiers, Médecine Intensive Réanimation.
Purpose Of Review:
High-flow nasal oxygen and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) are two strategies representing an alternative to standard oxygen in the management of respiratory failure.
Recent Findings:
Although high-flow nasal oxygen has shown promising results in patients with de-novo acute respiratory failure, further large clinical trials are needed to determine the best oxygenation strategy. As NIV may have deleterious effects, especially in patients generating strong inspiratory efforts, protective NIV using higher levels of positive-end expiratory pressure, more prolonged sessions and additional interfaces such as helmets should be assessed in the future. Whereas NIV is the first-line ventilation strategy in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic lung diseases, high-flow nasal oxygen could be an alternative to NIV after partial reversal of respiratory acidosis. To prevent severe hypoxemia during intubation of hypoxemic patients or to prevent postextubation respiratory failure in patients at high-risk of reintubation, NIV is the best strategy for preoxygenation or immediately after extubation in ICUs.
Summary:
New large-scale clinical trials are needed to compare high-flow nasal oxygen with standard oxygen in patients with de-novo acute respiratory failure to determine the reference treatment. After which, more protective NIV could be assessed among the more severe patients.
More Related Videos
05:46A Novel Inhalation Mask System to Deliver High Concentrations of Nitric Oxide Gas in Spontaneously Breathing Subjects
Published on: May 4, 2021
06:22Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome ARDS
Published on: April 7, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Acute Respiratory Failure-V
Ensure that patients are monitored continuously for their response to therapy, including changes in...
Mechanical Ventilation III: Noninvasive Ventilation
Noninvasive Positive-Pressure Ventilation...
Acute Respiratory Failure-I
Definition: It is defined by specific criteria based on blood gas measurements. Hypoxemia happens when the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) falls below 60 mmHg. At the same time,...
Mechanical Ventilation II: Invasive Ventilation
Negative-Pressure Ventilators
Negative-pressure ventilators create a vacuum around the chest or body to draw air into the lungs, simulating breathing. This method does not require an...
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation II: ACLS Airway Management
Acute Respiratory Failure-III