Noninvasive Ventilation for Treatment of Acute Respiratory Failure in Patients Undergoing Solid Organ Transplantation

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Abstract
In the past 2 decades, advancements in immunosuppressive strategies and major breakthroughs in surgical and organ preservation techniques have transformed organ transplantation into a therapy for an increasing population of patients with end-stage organ failure. Although preventing rejection remains the principle focus in improving overall survival statistics, pulmonary complications following transplantation are responsible for most morbidity and contribute substantially to the mortality associated with various organ transplantation procedures.1 Approximately 5% of patients undergoing renal, hepatic, cardiac, or pulmonary transplantation develop pneumonia in the period after transplantation, which has an associated crude mortality of 37%.1 In patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF), endotracheal intubation is the single most important predisposing factor for developing nosocomial bacterial pneumonia.2