Ventilator Weaning

A respiratory therapist attends to a patient in a motorized wheelchair in a hospital room. The patient's wife is seated nearby, engaging with the patient.

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Comprehensive care for respiratory challenges

After sustaining a traumatic brain injury or high-level spinal cord injury, breathing on your own may be challenging. In such cases, you may need the support of a ventilator, with our without a trach, to help you breath. At Shepherd Center, our ventilator services program is led by an experienced and aggressive team of respiratory therapists and pulmonology/critical care physicians who works closely with you to reduce your need for a ventilator whenever possible to increase independence, activity, and comfort.

What to expect as a ventilator or trach patient

At Shepherd Center, we provide specialized care to help you or your loved one transition smoothly from an acute care setting. With our onsite ICU and dedicated respiratory care team, we can begin your rehabilitation as soon as possible, even if you still need a ventilator or tracheostomy to breathe.

Ventilator weaning process

Before starting the weaning process, we thoroughly assess your physical and emotional health to ensure you’re ready. Many patients with a spinal cord injury at the C-3 level or below can be weaned off the ventilator. We use advanced techniques, like biofeedback, to help strengthen weakened muscles. Our goal is to help you gain independence from the ventilator and support you in living an active, fulfilling life after your injury.

Long-term ventilator use

If you need to stay on the ventilator, our team will still help you live as actively as possible. Our respiratory educator will teach you and your family how to manage your ventilator at home and provide tips on maintaining your health and well-being.

A person in a green shirt is sitting in a wheelchair, accompanied by two respiratory therapists in a hospital hallway. One therapist pulls an oxygen tank cart. They are smiling and appear to be engaged in conversation.
Brandon navigates the corridors of Shepherd Center with his dedicated support of his respiratory therapists, Kelley and Mychal. Connected to his wheelchair is a mobile ventilator, enabling Brandon to move about as he embarks on the journey to gradually reduce his ventilator dependence and regain independent breathing after a high-level spinal cord injury.

91%

In 2023, 91% of Shepherd’s were patients liberated from ventilators.

More Patient Outcomes

Ventilator and trach services

We offer comprehensive ventilator and trach services to suit your unique needs. Ventilatory support may include:

  • CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure): A machine that uses mild air pressure to keep breathing airways open while you sleep.
  • BiPAP (bilevel positive airway pressure): A form of noninvasive ventilation that uses positive air pressure to help you breathe.
  • Nebulizer: A machine that delivers medication directly into the lungs.
  • Inhalers: A handheld device that delivers medication directly to your lungs.
  • MetaNeb® system: A single machine that combines lung expansion, secretion clearance, and aerosol delivery into a single integrated therapy session.
  • Vest: An inflatable vest that is attached to a machine. The machine mechanically performs chest physical therapy by vibrating at a high frequency. The vest vibrates the chest to loosen and thin mucus.
  • Ventilator: Also known as a breathing machine or respirator, a ventilator is a machine that helps you breathe by pushing air into the lungs.
  • Diaphragm pacing system (DPS): The diaphragmatic pacemaker uses electrodes to stimulate the phrenic nerve, the motor innervation to the diaphragm, responsible for the act of breathing.

Vent weaning outcomes

At Shepherd Center, we’re committed to helping you regain as much function and independence as possible. Our highly skilled rehabilitation team has an outstanding record of successfully weaning patients off ventilator dependency, giving you the freedom to breathe on your own and focus on your recovery.

Patient vent weaning outcomes by injury type and percentage of patients weaned off ventilators.
Injury type Percentage of patients weaned off ventilators
High-cervical (C1-C2) 63%
C3 90%
C4 100%
Low-cervical (C5-C7) 67%
Thoracic (T1-T12) 100%
Acquired brain injuries 92%
A person in a wheelchair is in a hospital room, connected to medical equipment. A assistive technology therapist stands beside them, holding a device and engaging with the patient.

Preparing for trach and ventilator use at home

Our program prepares patients for ventilator use at home by introducing wheelchair mobility as soon as possible. Patients also participate in community outings to practice using their equipment in real-world settings.

We train both patients and family members in home care techniques, ensuring a smooth transition to life outside of Shepherd Center. For some, a Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS) offers additional respiratory support.

Headshot of Robby Barbieri

Prior to Shepherd, I was having a hard time coming off the vent. It was an agonizing process. I think I was completely off the vent two and a half weeks after I got to Shepherd. I remember drinking water and eating for the first time, and it was the greatest thing in the world for me at the time.

Robby Barbieri, Tennessee Patient, Spinal Cord Injury

Read Robby’s Story of Hope

Frequently asked questions

Ventilator weaning is the gradual process of reducing a patient’s dependence on a ventilator, with the goal of helping them breathe on their own again.

If you have a spinal cord injury, brain injury, or other condition, you may be a candidate for ventilator weaning. Our team will assess your physical health and breathing ability to see if weaning is right for you. Your specific breathing challenges will depend on the level of your injury and your overall health.

The length of time an individual is on a ventilator varies greatly from patient to patient. Your care team will monitor your ability to breathe unassisted and wean you off the ventilator if your lungs function properly on their own.

The goal of ventilator weaning is to have the patient breathe on their own. Ventilator weaning is a gradual process that is coordinated by our lung specialists, who first determine the patient’s readiness. There are many factors at play such as respiration, cardiovascular health, psychological readiness, and decreased lung volumes that complicate or delay the ability for a patient to successfully be weaned.

If you need long-term ventilator support, we will work with you to manage your care and teach you how to live as actively and comfortably as possible while using a ventilator.

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