How Medical Conditions Affect the Weaning of Mechanical Ventilation

Abstract

Weaning from mechanical ventilation is a common process in critically ill patients and its failure is related to worsening outcomes. A better understanding of the subject is necessary to change these unfavorable results. This chapter will review the approach to weaning from mechanical ventilation in special groups of critically ill patients. The chapter will also review the causes of failure to wean from MV along with strategies for improving evaluation and approach of the patient with difficult and prolonged weaning from mechanical ventilation. Therefore, the presence of this topic in a book on mechanical ventilation is fundamental and relevant.