Decrease in ventilation time with a standardized weaning process.

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Abstract
WEANING from mechanical ventilation is defined as the gradual reduction of mechanical support and replacing this support with spontaneous ventilation.1 Although a wide variety of techniques are available for weaning patients from mechanical ventilation, controversy and conflicting results exist in the literature over the best weaning method.2-4 Traditionally, surgeons use weaning techniques based on their training, experience, and preference, or consultative advice. Spontaneous breathing with or without continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is used in a single trial or serial timed trials for weaning. Intermittent mandatory ventilation (IMV) with rate reduction or pressure support ventilation (PSV) with gradual pressure reduction allow patients receiving mechanical ventilation to perform more of the work of breathing until the ventilator is not required.5,6