He estimated that about one-third of his patients would eventually come off the ventilator, at least for some period of time. Experts say that mechanical ventilation itself is associated with lung complications, including pneumonia and adult respiratory distress syndrome, a type of lung injury. The faster the patients get off mechanical ventilation, and the smaller the size of their ventilator breaths, the better they are. Weaning depends on many factors, including proper nutrition, nursing and physical therapy to prevent muscle contractures in bedbound patients, said Dr. Arthur Slutsky, an expert on mechanical ventilation at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. There are also psychological factors.
Some people panic.
For some patients, weaning is impossible. Amadalla Ireibi came to Coler-Goldwater two years ago after injuring his spinal cord in a car accident. He became paralyzed and required a ventilator to breathe. At one time, he used to spend three to four hours a day off the ventilator, and last summer he was able to go home to Brooklyn to visit his wife. Occasionally, he went to Manhattan to see friends or to conduct business.