Terminal Withdrawal of Mechanical Ventilation at a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital

Terminal Withdrawal of Mechanical Ventilation at a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital: Comparison with a medical ICU. Chest, vol. 136(2), Aug 2009, p.465-470.

White, A.C., et al.

http://www.chestjournal.org/content/136/2/465.full.pdf+html

Long-term acute care hospitals provide care for patients who require prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV) for respiratory failure. A multicenter study found weaning to be unsuccessful in 20% of patients receiving prolonged MV despite a multidisciplinary approach to care. The decision to terminally withdraw MV from critically ill patients in whom MV is no longer considered beneficial is common in ICUs in the United States and in Europe. Updated practice guidelines are available to inform practitioners in the terminal withdrawal of MV in the ICU.