No abstract

After the inclusion of 90 patients (30 per group) we did not observe significant differences between the modes. Twelve patients failed the initial weaning trial. However, half of the patients who appeared to fail the spontaneous breathing trial on the T-tube, PSV, or both, were successfully extubated after a succeeding trial with ATC. Extubation was thus withheld from four and three of these patients while breathing with PSV or the T-tube, respectively, but to any patient breathing with ATC. It seems that ATC can be used as an alternative mode during the final phase of weaning from mechanical ventilation. Furthermore, this study may promote a larger multicenter trial on weaning with ATC compared with standard modes.

Ptrach can continuously be monitored in the presence of pediatric ETT by combining ETT coefficients and the flow and airway pressure continuously measured at the proximal end of the ETT.