Ventilation is one of the most common procedures in critically ill children admitted to the pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) and is associated with potential severe side effects. The longer the mechanical ventilation, the higher the risk of infections, mortality, morbidity and length of stay. Protocol-based approaches to ventilation weaning could have potential benefit in assisting the physicians in the weaning process but, in pediatrics, clear significant outcome difference related to their use has yet to be shown.
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