Transfer from Hospital to Home Ventilation (Including NIV and MV): A Medical Point of View

However, some of these patients remain dependent on technology, especially those having chronic respiratory failure with ventilator dependency. According to the British guideline published in 1998, definition of long-term ventilation is considered to be “any child who, when medically stable, continues to require a mechanical aid for breathing, after an acknowledged failure to wean, or a slow wean, three months after the institution of ventilation.” The American guidelines published in 2016 stated that “the best place for the well-being of a technology-dependent child is with the family/caregivers in the community, and that all aspects of the medical care should be family-centered, coordinated, and integrated with community services” . However, ventilator dependency is usually a massive limitation for early discharge in many countries, causing a lengthening of the hospital stays in critical care units. In this chapter, the main focus will be on medical issues and barriers related to mechanical ventilation.