Crying vital capacity and maximal inspiratory pressure as clinical indicators of readiness for weaning of infants less than a year of age

Abstract

Weaning from prolonged mechanical ventilation is a major problem in management of infants with postoperative respiratory failure or severe pulmonary disease. Arterial blood-gas data are reported to be insufficient to warrant successful removal of the endotracheal tube. Although crying vital capacity and maximal inspiratory pressure have been clinically used as criteria for endotracheal extubation, quantitative analyses of the reliability of these modalities as indicators of readiness for tracheal extubation are scant. The authors have studied these variables quantitatively in terms of weaning infants less than a year of age.