[Respiratory training with intermittent positive pressure in acute respiratory disturbances (author's transl)]

In a clinical study the applicability and effectiveness of breathing therapy with intermittent positive pressure in cases of incipient or already established pulmonary complications are evaluated. The case material was divided into four groups: 1. Imminent respiratory complications (haemorrhagic shock, flail chest); 2. acute postoperative pulmonary insufficiency in old patients; 3. postoperative alveolar or interstitial pulmonary oedema; 4. postoperative pneumonia. Individual respiratory training succeeded in all patients in significantly improving the arterial blood gases; prolonged artificial ventilation could be dispensed with. The method and its limitations and indications for its use are reviewed.