ABSTRACT
Respiratory failure remains the principal reason for the vast
majority of admissions to intensive care. This chapter will
cover a number of important themes. An understanding of
the pathophysiology of respiratory failure and objectives of
respiratory support is essential in the management of crit-
ically ill patients. Because the majority of such patients require
respiratory support, the indications for invasive and non-
invasive ventilation, the physiological effects and potential
complications of mechanical ventilation need to be under-
stood in addition to the different modes of ventilation avail-
able and the ventilatory strategies that are used in particular
disease states. Weaning a patient following a protracted
period of mechanical ventilation may require specific strat-
egies and understanding. The percutaneous tracheostomy
has become a standard part of critical care management of
patients with respiratory failure in recent years, and the indi-
cations for and complications of percutaneous tracheostomy
will be described.
