Ventilatory insufficiency due to asbestos-related diffuse pleural fibrosis successfully treated with noninvasive home mechanical ventilation

Abstract

A 54-year-old man with diffuse pleural fibrosis due to previous asbestos exposure developed hypercapnic respiratory failure. Noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) was started at the hospital and maintained at the patient's home, achieving reversal of the respiratory failure. During a 2-year follow-up, NIMV has been well tolerated by the patient and no relapse in ventilatory failure has occurred. Home NIMV can be considered as an alternative to pleural decortication in asbestos-related diffuse pleural fibrosis with ventilatory insufficiency.