Technical and psychological complications of high-frequency jet ventilation.

The type and the incidence of complications during treatment with high-frequency jet ventilation were evaluated in 10 critically ill patients with acute respiratory failure. HFJV was used for 2 to 34 days for management of bronchopleural fistulae, tracheal rupture, laryngeal trauma or voluminous lung abscesses. The most significant technical problems observed were disconnection or kinking of the jet catheter, hypothermia and CO2 retention. Insufficient humidification could induce severe complications such as viscous bronchial secretions, desiccation of the tracheobronchial mucosa or total obturation of the endotracheal tube. Psychological tolerance of high-frequency jet ventilation was generally satisfactory but the ventilator noise was sometimes hardly tolerated. Patients could develop a psychological dependence to high-frequency jet ventilation, leading to weaning problems. Solutions are suggested to decrease the incidence and severity of the technical and psychological complications.