RESUMEN
Despite the use of enormous personnel and other resources in German weaning centers, approximately 20â% of patients currently fail to get weaned from mechanical ventilation (MV) and need out-of-hospital ventilation.Between 03/2015 and 11/2019, we carried out a pilot project with 33 patients (48â% female, mean age 68â±â11 years at hospital admission) in order to re-evaluate their options of a possible weaning from MV. At this stage the patients had been invasively ventilated for 475â±â775 days. The mean stay in our weaning center was 26â±â19 days. 24/33 (73.53â%) patients were successfully weaned from MV. Of those, 11/24 (44â%) were discharged with non-invasive out-of-hospital ventilation. The completely weaned patients had a survival period of 3 or 12 months (92â% and 77â%), respectively. In those discharged with non-invasive ventilation, the survival period of 3 or months was 91â% and 81â%, respectively. In those discharged with invasive ventilation, this was 86â% and 71â%, respectively.The current results demonstrate that even those undergoing long-term out-of-hospital invasive ventilation can be successfully weaned from MV. Therefore, we suggest regular re-evaluations of weaning opportunities in invasively ventilated ambulatory patients.