Management guidelines for motor neurone disease patients on non-invasive ventilation at home.

Abstract

Most motor neurone disease (MND) patients die of respiratory system complications. When patients have advanced disease with symptoms of respiratory failure, management issues can become complicated by the introduction of assisted ventilatory devices. Therefore, care provision by a multidisciplinary team must be structured and co-ordinated in order to ensure that patients and their carers receive the optimal level of care. The objective of this article is to review the literature and explore the complex issues surrounding the use of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) in home care MND patients as a justification for the development of a management guideline for medical practitioners. A guideline for multidisciplinary care of home ventilated MND patients will be proposed.