Effects of Combined Respiratory Physiotherapy with High-Flow Nasal Cannula and Venturi Mask in Spinal Cord Injury: A Single-Subject Research Study and Literature Review

Background: The level of spinal cord injury affects the severity of respiratory impairment and the alteration of respiratory pattern and gas exchanges. Lesions at the C3-C5 level (phrenic nerve nucleus) cause disruption of descending input with paralysis of the main inspiratory muscle, often requiring tracheostomy and prolonged mechanical ventilation. Oxygen therapy is essential to switch from ventilatory support to removal of the endotracheal tube to correct residual difficulties in oxygenation management.

Case presentation: A 58-year-old man had tracheostomy and tetraparesis as complication of tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy treatment for a history of obstructive sleep apnea. A respiratory rehabilitation program with protocol of oxygen therapy with high flow cannula alternated with a low-flow system by Venturi mask during daytime hours only was started. The patient was constantly monitored with capillary partial oxygen saturation to obtain adequate oxygenation (≥ 94%) and registered every 15 minutes in the clinical chart. There was gradual improvement of respiratory function. Oxygen by Venturi mask was gradually reduced due to improvement of partial pressure oxygen values. Over the course of days, the optimal results of respiratory parameters led to a gradual weaning from the Venturi mask until the complete discontinuation of the low-flow system during daytime and decreased of the high-flow fraction of inspired oxygen to the maximal tolerated level during nighttime.

Conclusions: Implementing a combined protocol of nighttime oxygen with high flow cannula and daytime Venturi mask improves intensive motor training of patients by promoting the acquisition of ability to perform chair/bed transitions and to be able to achieve standing and begin gait training. More research is needed whether or noted to determine the role of this promising approach in patients with severe SCI and in other critically ill patients.

Learning points: This is a presentation of a new respiratory training protocol of combined oxygen therapy by high flow cannula and Venturi mask in a patient with cervical spinal cord injury and respiratory failure.Due to this new respiratory training, from the weaning of ventilation devices the patient had greater independence and improved quality of life, with more intensive motor training in the gym, improvement of the motor program and the patient tolerance to training.Oxygen therapy with high flow cannula and Venturi mask could be valid and reliable combined respiratory training to improve the respiratory pattern in severely hypoxemic and hypercapnic patients, without adverse events.