INTRODUCTION. Dysfunction of diaphragm postoperatively is associated with worsened quality life and increased health care costs due to prolonged respiratory support morbidity. After cardiac operations, dysfunction can take place in up 10 % patients but often remains underdiagnosed. At the same time, histologically revealed changes, such as muscle atrophy diaphragm, start within 12 hours mechani...

When to discontinue mechanical ventilation is a large part of the work we do in the ICU every day. For patients, a large part of the time spent on mechanical ventilation is in the weaning process. Typically, the decision to start weaning is primarily physician-dependent, and, much to the chagrin of many physicians, studies have revealed that a well designed protocol is better for our patients a...

OBJECTIVE The process of weaning from mechanical ventilation can be complex, requiring collaborative care planning by members of the healthcare team. Improved outcomes have been demonstrated to result from collaborative decision-making processes (e.g., when ventilator teams were utilized). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a collaborative weaning plan (CWP) on length of ti...

BACKGROUND Adaptive support ventilation can speed weaning after coronary artery surgery compared with protocolized weaning using other modes. There are no data to support this mode of weaning after cardiac valvular surgery. Furthermore, control group weaning times have been long, suggesting that the results may reflect control group protocols that delay weaning rather than a real advantage of a...

Invasive mechanical ventilation is a life-saving procedure which is largely used in neonatal intensive care units, particularly in very premature newborn infants. However, this essential treatment may increase mortality and cause substantial morbidity, including lung or airway injuries, unplanned extubations, adverse hemodynamic effects, analgosedative dependency and severe infectious complicat...

Results The VAP rates over the entire study period varied between 0 and 30.9/1000 ventilator days. The VAP rate for the year 2009 was 9.72 (22 VAP infections in 2263 ventilator days) which reduced to 3.43 (11 VAP infections in 3202 ventilator days) in the following year 2010 as a result of the interventions. The study showed hand hygiene compliance of the healthcare workers and length of stay o...

Abstract Daily sedation interruption or vacation is a strategy for neurological evaluation, respiratory mechanics, cardiac stability, and eventual weaning to extubation. However, its application has safety aspects such as pulmonary, cardiac, complications. A protocol-driven in the medical intensive care helps with reduction length of stay increase ventilator-free days.1,2 The same approach can ...

Weaning from mechanical ventilation was categorised as simple, difficult or prolonged by an international task force of the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society/European Society of Intensive Care Medicine/Society of Critical Care Medicine/Sociéte de Réanimation de Langue Française in 2007. This new classification has not been tested in clinical practice. The objective of the p...