ABSTRACT
Long-term mechanical ventilation (LTMV) has existed for over 50 years, with polio survivors of the mid-20th century representing the first generation of ventilator-assisted individuals (VAIs) (1). LTMV was initially conceived as a hospital-centered treatment, and intensive care units (ICU) remained the primary sites for treatment of most of the long-term VAIs until the end of the 1980s (2,3).
