Negative pressure XXXX in the medical intensive care unit.

@entity1 @entity548 @entity4 @entity26 @entity5847
OBJECTIVE: Negative pressure @entity4 (NPPE) occurring in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) is an uncommon, probably under-diagnosed, but life-threatening condition. DESIGN: Retrospective data collection. SETTING: Medical intensive care unit in a 1,500-bedded tertiary care hospital. @entity1 AND @entity1 : Five @entity1 were diagnosed between January 1998 and January 2002. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Five @entity1 were diagnosed to have NPPE from different aetiologies. These were acute @entity5847 , post-stenting of right bronchus intermedius stenosis, strangulation, compression from a goitre and one @entity1 developed @entity548 after biting the endotracheal tube during recovery from anaesthesia. All @entity1 responded rapidly to supplemental @entity26 , positive pressure ventilation and correction of underlying aetiologies. @entity4 resolved rapidly. CONCLUSIONS: There is a large spectrum of aetiologies causing NPPE in the medical intensive care unit.
