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The need for a regional weaning centre, a one-year survey of intensive care weaning delay in the Northern Region of England

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Victoria-Anne Robson, Dr P Lawler, Dr Simon Baudouin

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Abstract

Over a period of one year, a weekly telephone survey identified 161 stable patients with weaning delay (defined as patients ventilated for at least 6 h per day for more than 2 weeks) in intensive care units in the Northern Region of England. Their median age was 69 years (range 21-88 years). Sixty patients (37%) were admitted with medical conditions, 89 (55%) were postoperative patients, whereas 12 (8%) were surgical but required non-operative admission. One hundred and thirty (89%) were weaned and discharged from the intensive care unit during the year. Twenty-two (14%) died and two were transferred to the home ventilation service. Seven patients remained ventilated in intensive care at the end of the study period. Twenty patients (12%) required more than 28 days of respiratory support. These patients occupied on average 6.0% of available intensive care unit beds in the region. This study suggests that in the Northern Region of England there are a significant number of stable but ventilator-dependent patients occupying intensive care beds.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Robson V, Poynter J, Lawler PG, Baudouin SV

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Anaesthesia

Year: 2003

Volume: 58

Issue: 2

Pages: 161-165

ISSN (print): 0003-2409

ISSN (electronic): 1365-2044

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2044.2003.02964_1.x

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2044.2003.02964_1.x

PubMed id: 12622105

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