Complications of mechanical ventilation - A bedside approach

The initiation of mechanical ventilation may be associated with multiple complications that occur in many patients. In a problem-oriented analysis, the adverse effects can be divided into those encountered in a newly intubated patient and those that develop in a previously stable patient. The physician may be consulted for a variety of new developments. The diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia remains difficult, with a variety of procedures and culture techniques designed to improve sensitivity and specificity. This novel approach to clinical problem solving in the ICU will reduce the likelihood of missed diagnoses and allow for an analysis based on pathophysiology