Clinical Critical Care
Ventilator-dependent unit as a specialized weaning unit in a resource-limited setting: Evidence review, implementation framework and clinical outcome
By Rathasart Pengpu, Atikun Limsukon, Juthamas Inchai and 2 others.
Abstract
Background
Prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) creates substantial clinical and intensive care unit (ICU) burdens. Specialized weaning units (SWUs) provide multidisciplinary ventilator liberation and rehabilitation, but practical guidance and outcome data from resource-limited settings are limited.
Objective
To synthesize evidence on the organization and clinical management of SWUs, describe implementation of a ventilator-dependent unit (VDU) adapted to a resource-limited tertiary hospital, and report a clinical evaluation.
Methods
A structured narrative review was conducted in PubMed for publications from January 2000 to December 2025 using terms related to PMV, difficult weaning, SWUs, VDU, rehabilitation, and models of care. Guidelines, consensus statements, systematic reviews, randomized trials, observational studies, and key implementation reports were narratively synthesized.