Lung and Diaphragm Ultrasound in Predicting Extubation and Weaning of Mechanically Ventilated Patients in Intensive Care Unit

Mechanical ventilation is a necessary life support technology for critically ill patients. The weaning outcome affects the morbidity and mortality of patients when their primary disease improves.

Moreover, lung ultrasonography can be used as an effective measure in the evaluation of lung aeration which is useful during the weaning procedure as it reflect the aeration loss and consequently predict the respiratory distress in the postintubation period, a validated score termed the lung ultrasound score(LUS) can be used to evaluate the loss of lung aeration.

Numerous data measured through diaphragmatic ultrasonography have been recommended for the same purpose, which involve measurement of diaphragmatic muscle movement during inspiration or excursion during the respiratory cycle (DE), and diaphragmatic muscle thickening or diaphragmatic thickening fraction (DTF).

Inclusion criteria

• All patients who will meet the following weaning criteria undergo Spontaneous Breathing Trial, which include,

• Improvement of disease acute phase which necessitated mechanical ventilation.
• Stable neurological status.
• No hemodynamic instability (heart rate ≤ 120/min, systolic blood pressure higher than 90 mmHg and lower than 160 mmHg) in the absence of any vasoactive support therapy.
• PaO2>60 mm Hg or SaO2 ≥ 90% or more with FiO2 ≤ 0.4.
• Afebrile and there were no significant abnormalities in the electrolyte levels.

Exclusion criteria

• Hemodynamic unstable patients
• Patients with severe intracranial disease,
• Tracheostomy.
• Severe intensive care unit (ICU) acquired neuromyopathy, with primary unilateral/bilateral absence of diaphragmatic mobility,
• Patients who had previously failed spontaneous breathing trial (SBT).