title: Mechanical ventilation of the postoperative patient.
abstract: This article explains the operating characteristics of the most commonly used modes of mechanical ventilation and provides descriptions of how mechanical breaths are delivered. Also included are simple guidelines for choosing tidal volume, respiratory and flow rate, and alarm settings. The article concludes with a brief overview of weaning techniques and commonly used criteria to determine when patients are ready to be weaned from ventilating support.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loiacono
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Cunneen
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration / Q000379:methods; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures; D015300:Ventilator Weaning