Pressure-flow signatures of central-airway mucus plugging.

SETTING

Medical Intensive Care Unit of Regions Hospital, a University of Minnesota-affiliated teaching hospital.

PATIENT: Mechanically ventilated woman with status asthmaticus and acute respiratory failure.

INTERVENTION: Observations of airway pressure and flow tracings before and after bronchoscopic inspection and airway lavage.

MAIN

RESULTS

Four newly observed signs were recorded that may serve to identify occult central airway mucus plugging in the ventilated asthmatic patient.