How we wean patients from mechanical ventilation – Professor John Laffey Artwork

Asia Ventilation Forum

The Asia Ventilation Forum (AVF) is a not-for-profit organisation comprising members from different Asian countries. We share our knowledge and experience in respiratory care and critical care with intensive care unit (ICU) workers across the continent with the aim of improving care and outcomes for the critically ill. There are two AVF Podcast series. "Behind-The-Scenes ICU Stories" invites colleagues to share anything and everything on their personal experiences. Expect heart-to-heart discussions on topics that may or may not have been widely described in the medical literature. "The Challenges of Airway Management During the Pandemic" invites colleagues to share anything and everything on how they deal with various clinical situations. Expect discussions on how experts personalise evidence-based medicine for the patient at the bedside. These Podcasts are hosted by Dr Jason Phua, respiratory physician and intensivist at Alexandra Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore, and Dr Jose Emmanuel Palo, intensivist at The Medical City, the Philippines.

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Asia Ventilation Forum

How we wean patients from mechanical ventilation – Professor John Laffey

March 15, 2023 • AVF • Season 1 • Episode 25

In this AVF Podcast: ICU Tips & Tricks episode, Professor Professor Laffey discusses the findings and implications of the landmark WEAN SAFE study on the epidemiology and outcomes of weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation across 50 countries, which was published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine in January 2023. Dr Laffey is Professor of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at the School of Medicine of the National University of Ireland, a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at Galway University Hospitals, and corresponding author of the WEAN SAFE study.

Issues discussed in this interview:

· Key findings of the WEAN SAFE study

· Implications of delaying weaning in patients on invasive mechanical ventilation

· Rewards and challenges of performing large multi-country studies

Selected further reading:

1. Pham T, Heunks L, Bellani G, et al. Weaning from mechanical ventilation in intensive care units across 50 countries (WEAN SAFE): a multicentre, prospective, observational cohort study. Lancet Respir Med. 2023 Jan 20:S2213-2600(22)00449-0. Epub ahead of print.