Biphasic cuirass ventilation for treatment of an air leak after pneumothorax in a patient with nemaline myopathy: a case report

We describe an 11-year-old boy with nemaline myopathy who developed tension pneumothorax while undergoing noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV). The patient developed a persistent air leak after pleurodesis with minocycline hydrochloride and lowering of the NIPPV inspiratory pressure. He required additional respiratory support without the high airway pressures that may aggravate pneumothorax. We provided adequate respiratory support without increasing the positive airway pressure using biphasic cuirass ventilation (BCV), which moved the patient’s chest wall by negative pressure. The air leak was resolved without any additional treatment. We should provide BCV for patients in whom surgery may have a risk of both extubation failure and postoperative complications before deciding on surgery.