What is ventilator weaning?
Ventilator weaning is the gradual process of helping a patient who relies on a machine to breathe to switch back to breathing on their own. It’s like training your lungs to do the work after relying on the ventilator for support. The process involves slowly reducing the ventilator’s assistance while closely monitoring the patient’s breathing and oxygen levels. Successful weaning means the patient can breathe effectively without the machine and eventually have their breathing tube removed. It’s a crucial step in recovering from critical illness and can take days or even weeks, depending on the patient’s condition and progress.