Palliative care using noninvasive ventilation（NIV）in a patient with lung cancer and interstitial pneumonia

Abstract

Case：A 57 year-old man, who had received home oxygen therapy and noninvasive ventilation（NIV）as outpatient, was admitted to our hospital because he felt shortness of breath. He could not eat meals because he was required to receive NIV in all days. He therefore was admitted to our palliative care unit（PCU）on a permanent basis in order to improve the quality of his life. In the PCU, he could take a bath, eat meals and appreciate local folk songs while receiving NIV. Complications were only desaturation and feeling shortness of breath while bathing or eating. Conclusions：NIV may be a useful device for the patients with terminal respiratory failure.