USE OF HELIOX THERAPY TO RELIEVE ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS IN AN ADOLESCENT

Cystic fibrosis, a chronic genetic disorder thataffects the exocrine glands, results in the produc-tion of excessive, thick mucus that obstructs the gastrointestinal tract and the lungs. Cystic fibrosis affects approximately 1 in 3500 white children and 1 in 12000 nonwhite children every year.1(p1626) In the United States, the pulmonary complications of cystic fibrosis, including asthma, airway obstruction, bron-chiolitis, mucus plugging, and pneumonia, are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in children who have the disorder.1(p1627) Traditionally, therapy for pulmonary complica-tions of cystic f ibrosis includes broad-spectrum antibiotics to control infection, aggressive drug therapy to promote bronchodilatation and thin mucus, humid-ified air, routine postural drainage and chest percussion to aid in clearing secretions, and oxygen for hypoxemia