[Ventilatory weaning: rehabilitation strategies in intensive care setting].

Mechanical ventilation is probably the medical intervention which resulted in more lifes saved in the history of Medicine. However, it is associated with several potential deleterious consequences, especially when it's maintained for unnecessarily long periods or, on the other hand, when suspended before full recovery is attained. Shortening the duration of mechanical ventilation and of the weaning process should be a clinical priority, outweighing the risks of extubation failure.