Chronic respiratory failure is a disease that compromises the functionality of the respiratory system which is no longer able to provide adequate oxygenation of the blood and tissues or to eliminate the right amount of carbon dioxide. It can be divided into two different types:
- Restrictive, whereby the lung is unable to expand normally due to anatomical or functional impairment of the rib cage or pleural cavity. The main causes are: respiratory paralysis, thoracic trauma, congenital or acquired skeletal malformations, pleural adhesions, pneumothorax.
- Obstructive, characterized by a reduction in ventilation caused by an obstacle that prevents the entry of air into the lungs, as in the case of the presence of foreign bodies or due to tumors or other diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia and bronchial asthma.