[Problems in weaning from artificial ventilation: 'motor neuron disease'].

Three patients, two men aged 71 and one aged 73 years, were given artificial respiration because of acute respiratory failure. Subsequently they could not be weaned from artificial respiration, due to causes that were not immediately clear. It was ultimately found that the patients suffered from 'motor neuron disease', in two of them due to progressive spinal muscular atrophy, while the third, apart from loss of anterior horn motor cells, also had thoracic hydromelia. The patients died after termination of the artificial respiration.