Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Ventilator Weaning ; methods

BACKGROUND: A randomized, multicenter, open-label, parallel group study was performed to compare the effects of remifentanil and morphine as analgesic drugs on the duration of weaning time from mechanical ventilation (MV). METHODS: A total of 96 patients with MV in 6 medical and surgical intensive care units were randomly assigned to either, remifentanil (0.1-0.2 mcg/kg/min, n = 49) or morphine (0.8-35 mg/hr, n = 47) from the weaning start. The weaning time was defined as the total ventilation time minus the sum of controlled mode duration. RESULTS: Compared with the morphine group, the remifentanil-based analgesic group showed a tendency of shorter weaning time (mean 143.9 hr, 89.7 hr, respectively: p = 0.069). Secondary outcomes such as total ventilation time, successful weaning rate at the 7th of MV day was similar in both groups. There was also no difference in the mortality rate at the 7th and 28th hospital day. Kaplan-Meyer curve for weaning was not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil usage during the weaning phase tended to decrease weaning time compared with morphine usage.
Analgesics ; Humans ; Critical Care ; Morphine* ; Mortality ; Respiration, Artificial* ; Ventilation ; Ventilator Weaning ; Weaning*

BACKGROUND: A randomized, multicenter, open-label, parallel group study was performed to compare the effects of remifentanil and morphine as analgesic drugs on the duration of weaning time from mechanical ventilation (MV). METHODS: A total of 96 patients with MV in 6 medical and surgical intensive care units were randomly assigned to either, remifentanil (0.1-0.2 mcg/kg/min, n = 49) or morphine (0.8-35 mg/hr, n = 47) from the weaning start. The weaning time was defined as the total ventilation time minus the sum of controlled mode duration. RESULTS: Compared with the morphine group, the remifentanil-based analgesic group showed a tendency of shorter weaning time (mean 143.9 hr, 89.7 hr, respectively: p = 0.069). Secondary outcomes such as total ventilation time, successful weaning rate at the 7th of MV day was similar in both groups. There was also no difference in the mortality rate at the 7th and 28th hospital day. Kaplan-Meyer curve for weaning was not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Remifentanil usage during the weaning phase tended to decrease weaning time compared with morphine usage.
Analgesics ; Humans ; Critical Care ; Morphine ; Mortality ; Respiration, Artificial ; Ventilation ; Ventilator Weaning ; Weaning

In patients with cervical spine injuries, respiratory function requires careful attention. Voluntary respiratory control is usually possible with lesions below C4 level although paralysis of the abdominal musculature results in a decreased ability to cough and to clear secretions, which may later lead to respiratory insufficiency. Therefore, injuries above C5 usually necessitate long term mechanical ventilation. Even though weaning criteria are not definitive for the quadriplegic patient, M-mode ultrasonography of the diaphragm may be useful in identifying patients at high risk of difficulty weaning. Diaphragmatic dysfunction (vertical excursion < 10 mm or paradoxical movements) results in frequent early and delayed weaning failures. We present our clinical experience with successful weaning by using M-mode ultrasonography and a cough-assist device for secretion clearance after extubation in a quadriplegic patient undergoing C2-4 spine laminoplasty.
Cough ; Diaphragm ; Humans ; Paralysis ; Quadriplegia ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Spine ; Ventilator Weaning ; Weaning

Long-term morbidity, long-term cognitive impairment and hospitalization-associated disability are common occurrence in the survivors of critical illness, with significant consequences for patients and for the caregivers. The ABCDEF bundle represents an evidence-based guide for clinicians to approach the organizational changes needed for optimizing ICU patient recovery and outcomes. The ABCDEF bundle includes: Assess, Prevent, and Manage Pain, Both Spontaneous Awakening Trials (SAT) and Spontaneous Breathing Trials (SBT), Choice of analgesia and sedation, Delirium: Assess, Prevent, and Manage, Early mobility and Exercise, and Family engagement. The purpose of this review is to describe the core features of the ABCDEF bundle.
Analgesia ; Caregivers ; Cognition Disorders ; Critical Illness ; Delirium ; Humans ; Organizational Innovation ; Respiration ; Survivors ; Ventilator Weaning

OBJECTIVES: The effectiveness of the active humidification systems (AHS) in patients already weaned from mechanical ventilation and with an artificial airway has not been very well described. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of an AHS in chronically tracheostomized and spontaneously breathing patients. METHODS: Measurements were quantified at three levels of temperature (Tdegrees) of the AHS: level I, low; level II, middle; and level III, high and at different flow levels (20 to 60 L/minute). Statistical analysis of repeated measurements was performed using analysis of variance and significance was set at a P<0.05. RESULTS: While the lowest temperature setting (level I) did not condition gas to the minimum recommended values for any of the flows that were used, the medium temperature setting (level II) only conditioned gas with flows of 20 and 30 L/minute. Finally, at the highest temperature setting (level III), every flow reached the minimum absolute humidity (AH) recommended of 30 mg/L. CONCLUSION: According to our results, to obtain appropiate relative humidity, AH and Tdegrees of gas one should have a device that maintains water Tdegrees at least at 53degrees C for flows between 20 and 30 L/m, or at Tdegrees of 61degrees C at any flow rate.
Humans ; Humidity ; Oxygen Inhalation Therapy ; Patient Care ; Respiration ; Respiration, Artificial ; Respiratory Therapy ; Tracheostomy ; Ventilator Weaning ; Water

BACKGROUNDWeaning difficulties occur in 31% of total intubated patients, and result in prolonged weaning duration. A computer-driven automated weaning system can perform a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) automatically and display a message when the trial is successfully passed. Such a system might have a beneficial effect on difficult-to-wean patients. The aim of this study was to examine whether the computer-driven automated weaning system can accelerate discontinuation of mechanical ventilation and improve outcomes in difficult-to-wean patients.

METHODSThis randomized controlled study included 39 difficult-to-wean patients who failed their first spontaneous breathing trial. Before initiating weaning, eligible patients were randomly allocated to wean by computer-driven automated weaning system (CDW group, n = 19) or a physician-controlled local protocol (PW group, n = 20). Weaning duration, defined as the time from inclusion until first extubation, was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints were total duration of mechanical ventilation, the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, the number of reintubations, the mortality rate in the ICU, the number of noninvasive ventilations, the number of complications in the ICU, and the number of ventilator-associated pneumonia cases.

RESULTSThe weaning duration was reduced with the computer-driven weaning as compared with the usual protocol (median 29.0 hours vs. 45.5 hours, P = 0.044). Total duration of mechanical ventilation and duration of the ICU stay did not differ between the CDW and PW groups. There was no difference in the number of reintubations between the CDW and PW groups (3 and 4 patients, P = 0.732). The study groups showed comparable numbers of tracheostomy, self-extubations, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and non-invasive ventilation. Mortality in the ICU was similar in the CDW and the PW groups (21.1% vs. 20.0%, P = 0.935).

CONCLUSIONThe computer-driven automated weaning system can reduce weaning duration in difficult-to-wean patients as compared with a physician-controlled weaning protocol.

Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiration, Artificial ; methods ; Ventilator Weaning ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the value of electronic bronchoscopy in the etiological diagnosis and treatment of pediatric intensive care patients with difficult ventilator weaning.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 92 pediatric intensive care patients with difficult ventilator weaning and underwent electronic bronchoscopy.

RESULTSAmong all the 92 children, the most common underlying disease was respiratory system disease (39 children). Electronic bronchoscopy found abnormalities in 87 children (95%), mainly excessive airway secretions and abnormal airway structure. There was no difference in the severity of tracheobronchial stenosis and tracheobronchomalacia shown by electronic bronchoscopy in children suffering from congenital heart disease (CHD), with and without difficult ventilator weaning. When used to predict difficult ventilator weaning in children with CHD, tracheobronchial stenosis or tracheobronchomalacia had a sensitivity of 68.4% and a specificity of 66.7%. Among the 36 children with atelectasis caused by excessive secretion or phlegm-induced airway obstruction, 23 achieved full or partial re-expansion after bronchial lavage and/or one-lung ventilation.

CONCLUSIONSElectronic bronchoscopy helps to clarify the cause of difficult ventilator weaning and perform treatment under an electronic bronchoscope accordingly in pediatric intensive care patients with difficult ventilator weaning. Tracheobronchial stenosis and tracheobronchomalacia shown by electronic bronchoscopy cannot not be used as an index for the prediction of ventilator weaning in children with CHD.

Adolescent ; Bronchoscopy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Critical Care ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Ventilator Weaning ; methods

BACKGROUNDIt is not clear whether the benefits of tracheostomy remain the same in the population. This study aimed to better examine the effect of tracheostomy on clinical outcome among prolonged ventilator patients.

METHODSData were from the medical claims data in Taiwan. A total of 3880 patients with ventilator use for more than 14 days between 2005 and 2009 were identified. Among them, 645 patients with tracheostomy conducted within 30 days of ventilator use were compared to 2715 patients without tracheostomy on death during hospitalization and study period, and successful weaning and medical utilization during hospitalization. Cox proportional hazards and linear regression models were used to examine the associations between tracheostomy and the main outcomes.

RESULTSThe tracheostomy rate was 30%, and 55% of tracheostomies were performed within 30 days of mechanical ventilation. After adjustments, patients with tracheostomy were at a lower risk of death during hospitalization (hazard ratio [HR] =0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] =0.43-0.61) and 5-year observation (HR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.66-0.81), and a lower probability of successful weaning (HR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.79-0.99). Higher medical use was also observed in patients with tracheostomy.

CONCLUSIONSThe beneficial effect for tracheostomy observed in our data was the reduction of death. However, patients with tracheostomy were less likely to wean and more likely to consume medical resources.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Respiration, Artificial ; adverse effects ; Tracheostomy ; Ventilator Weaning ; methods

The development of invasive mechanical ventilation technology provides effective respiratory support for critically ill children. However, respiratory support is not the end of treatment as the ultimate goal is successful extubation in children. At present, some evaluation indicators before extubation including rapid shallow breathing index, maximal inspiratory pressure, and work of breathing are of high clinical value in predicting adult extubation outcome, but their evidence of evidence-based medicine is not sufficient in the field of pediatric intensive care. This paper reviews the current research on the validity of predictors for extubation outcomes in children. It shows that there is still a lack of indicators with good sensitivity and specificity for assessment before extubation in children. The studies are still in a small-sample size and single-center stage. Therefore, how to optimize evaluation before extubation and improve the success rate of extubation is the direction of joint efforts of doctors in the pediatric intensive care unit and rehabilitation medicine department.
Airway Extubation ; Child ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Respiration ; Respiration, Artificial ; Ventilator Weaning