[Prevention of acquired pneumonia during artificial ventilation (excluding the use of anti-infectious agents)]

Nosocomial pneumonia remains a serious complication which occurs in patients who are artificially ventilated; as neither frequency nor important sequelae have altered recently inspite of the progress which has been achieved both with diagnosis and treatment. Preventative measures ought to be developed and realistically assessed before their introduction. Today it is indispensable to measure the impact of these measures, whether they have been previously or recently proposed by therapeutic trials. The current techniques proposed to prevent the appearance of nosocomial pneumonia are integrated in the usual conventional group of measures in the struggle against nosocomial infection which rests predominantly on standard approaches to hospital hygiene. These may be more specifically directed at good practical measures for the care of the ventilated patient. Regular toilet to the digestive and respiratory pathway, care of the ventilator material, absence of the changing of ventilation tubing during the stay. A certain number of measures are specifically suggested to prevent pneumonias: they have been imperfectly evaluated in clinical practice and remain controversial. Thus selective decontamination of the digestive system has not been dealt with her but also the sitting position, the utilisation of turning or oscillating beds, the continuous aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions or the use of Sucralfate as a means of prevention stress ulcers. Today, and until a complete evaluation of different techniques, the prevention of acquired pneumopathy during artificial ventilation rests above all on extremely simple measures; these cost little and are essentially meticulous care of the upper respiratory and digestive apparatus, to tracheal aspiration and physiotherapy which assure effective drainage and secretions, the use of the semi-sitting position, a well positioned gastric tube, in other words, basic care of the ventilated patient of a very good quality.