Spirometry in Mechanically Ventilated Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients

Patients with COPD who deteriorate to Respiratory Failure pose a challenge to the intensivist both in ventilating an obstructed patient and in weaning from mechanical ventilation.

Currently there are no accepted extubation criteria in COPD patients that could predict successful weaning from mechanical ventilation. In this study we will attempt to correlate spirometric data to eventual weaning from mechanical ventilation.