The Vital Capacity as a Measure of the Spontaneous Breathing Ability in Poliomyelitis

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
THERE has long been a need for a simple objective criterion to indicate when use of a respirator should be started during the acute illness of poliomyelitis and to guide the weaning of patients with respiratory-muscle paralysis from respirators. Some authors1 , 2 have used the vital capacity during the acute illness to indicate when patients should be placed in a respirator. They presented no objective data for the statement that patients should be placed in tank respirators when the vital capacity was 25 per cent of the predicted value. Affeldt3 measured the vital capacity at intervals during periods of unassisted breathing . . .