Abstract
While mechanical ventilation may be necessary to support ventilation and gas exchange, prolonged time on the ventilator is associated with significant complications, including lung injury, infections, and neuromuscular weakness. Therefore, in patients deemed to no longer require ventilatory support, it is important to discontinue mechanical ventilation as soon as possible. However, prematurely discontinuing mechanical ventilation may necessitate reintubation, a procedure that is associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes. The weaning process begins with an assessment of readiness to wean, followed by a diagnostic test, known as the spontaneous breathing trial, to determine the likelihood of successful extubation.
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Suggested Readings
Boles J, Bion J, Connors A, et al. Weaning from mechanical ventilation. Eur Respir J. 2007;29:1033–56.
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Poor, H. (2018). Weaning from the Ventilator. In: Basics of Mechanical Ventilation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89981-7_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89981-7_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-89980-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-89981-7
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