Strategy for difficult to wean sepsis or severe pneumonia patients

As Mechanical ventilation (MV) is the mainstay of support for critically ill, commonly in those with Severe Sepsis and almost ubiquitous in those with severe pneumonia. It is also a driver of intensive care costs as the duration of MV directly affects the burden of the disease. Ventilator dependent patients with severe sepsis and severe pneumonia result of the systemic insult to the body that is manifest in the respiratory system as ARDS. Depending upon case mix, about one in ten ventilated in ICU has ARDS induced respiratory failure.