What Is Hypercapnia?
9. Treatment and Management
The treatment and management of a patient with hypercapnia depends on the underlying issue. In acute illness, stabilization of the patient is the most important. It may involve mechanical respiratory support and medications. Non-invasive ventilation (face mask or nasal mask) is generally preferred over invasive mechanical ventilation (endotracheal tube or tracheostomy tube).
In very severe cases where there is respiratory failure due to hypercapnia, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) where carbon dioxide is removed and oxygen added to the blood may be done. Another technique known as the extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal where carbon dioxide is removed may be indicated. This technique requires less blood flow volume compared to the ECMO technique.
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