Case scenario: management of postesophagectomy respiratory failure with noninvasive ventilation.

MAJOR abdominal and thoracic surgeries are frequently associated with postoperative acute respiratory failure (ARF) as a result of atelectasis or pneumonia. In the follow-up to this type of surgery, increasing numbers of reports suggest that noninvasive ventilation (NIV) may help prevent ARF. The Case Scenario presented here illustrates the potential benefit of applying NIV. In addition, it highlights the importance of applying a multifaceted postoperative strategy rather than a single therapeutic strategy. This Case Scenario aims to identify key points that can help medical practitioners to make the correct choice as to whether to use NIV or not following invasive surgery.