Ventilation Liberation Practices Among 380 International PICUs

1) Characterize the prevalence of ventilator liberation protocol use in international PICUs, 2) identify the most commonly used protocol elements, and 3) estimate an international extubation failure rate and use of postextubation noninvasive respiratory support modes.

International cross-sectional study.

Nontrainee pediatric medical and cardiac critical care physicians.

Electronic survey.

None.

Responses represented 380 unique PICUs from 47 different countries. Protocols for Spontaneous Breathing Trial (SBT) practice (50%) and endotracheal tube cuff management (55.8%) were the only protocols used by greater than or equal to 50% of PICUs. Among PICUs screening for SBT eligibility, physicians were most commonly screened (62.7%) with daily frequency (64.2%). Among those with an SBT practice protocol, SBTs were most commonly performed by respiratory therapists/physiotherapists (49.2%) and least commonly by nurses (4.9%). Postextubation respiratory support protocols were not prevalent (28.7%). International practice variation was significant for most practices surveyed. The estimated median international extubation failure was 5% (interquartile range, 2.3-10%). A majority of respondents self-reported use of planned high-flow nasal cannula in less than or equal to 50% (84.2%) and planned noninvasive ventilation in less than or equal to 20% of extubations (81.6%).

Variability in international pediatric ventilation liberation practice is high, and prevalence of protocol implementation is generally low. There is a need to better understand elements that drive clinical outcomes and opportunity to work on standardizing pediatric ventilation liberation practices worldwide.