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Critical Care
Published in: Critical Care 6/2010

01-12-2010 | Review

Clinical review: The ABC of weaning failure - a structured approach

Authors: Leo M Heunks, Johannes G van der Hoeven

Published in: Critical Care | Issue 6/2010

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Abstract

About 20% to 30% of patients are difficult to wean from invasive mechanical ventilation. The pathophysiology of difficult weaning is complex. Accordingly, determining the reason for difficult weaning and subsequently developing a treatment strategy require a dedicated clinician with in-depth knowledge of the pathophysiology of weaning failure. This review presents a structural framework ('ABCDE') for the assessment and treatment of difficult-to-wean patients. Earlier recognition of the underlying causes may expedite weaning from mechanical ventilation.
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Metadata
Title
Clinical review: The ABC of weaning failure - a structured approach
Authors
Leo M Heunks
Johannes G van der Hoeven
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Critical Care / Issue 6/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1364-8535
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/cc9296

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