Approach to patients who fail initial weaning trials.
Most patients who are recovering from respiratory failure are successfully liberated from mechanical ventilation easily and soon after the causative disorders are corrected. Roughly one third of patients, however, are not successful on initial attempts at liberation. Clinicians should define and treat the causes of respiratory failure and use validated methods to initiate weaning and manage patients who fail initial spontaneous breathing trials.
Vallverdú
I
I
Service Chief, Servei de Medicina Intensiva, Hospital Univezsitazi de Sant Joan de Reus, Barcelona, Spain.
Mancebo
J
J
D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D014139:Tracheostomy; D015300:Ventilator Weaning; D014939:Work of Breathing