Authors: Scott K Epstein
Publish Date: 2004/05/25
Volume: 30, Issue: 7, Pages: 1255-1257
Abstract
The last few decades of research on weaning from mechanical ventilation have established a number of key concepts including the importance of determining readiness for spontaneous breathing trials SBT the minor role of weaning predictors in this aspect of decisionmaking the equivalency of SBTs conducted with Tpiece CPAP or low levels of pressure support the inferiority of IMV weaning and the beneficial role of protocoldirected weaning 1 More recently increasing attention has turned to improving extubation decisionmaking Unnecessarily delayed extubation is associated with increased risk for ventilatorassociated pneumonia increased ICU and hospital length of stay and increased mortality 2 On the other hand failed extubation which may occur in up to 20 of patients is also associated with increased ICU and hospital length of stay increased costs need for tracheotomy need for longterm acute care and in some studies increased mortality 3 4 5 The
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