The authors review the effects of endotracheal tubes in spontaneously breathing patients, and mechanisms, advantages, and clinical implications of automatic tube compensation.

Management of critically ill patients is a multidisciplinary effort, and critical care nurses are key members of the health care team, particularly during weaning from mechanical ventilation.1 Automatic tube compensation (ATC) is a relatively new mode of mechanical ventilation available on newer mechanical ventilators and is used during weaning from mechanical ventilation. Adequate assessment of patients receiving ATC ventilatory support requires a clear understanding of the characteristics of this mode. In this article, we review the effects of endotracheal tubes in spontaneously breathing patients, mechanisms and advantages of ATC, ATC use during the final phase of weaning from mechanical ventilation, and clinical implications of ATC use.

In healthy persons, respiration occurs with little effort. Respiratory work is required, however, to overcome the natural forces that oppose inhalation,...

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