Clinicians often are challenged with safely predicting the optimal time of extubation for ventilated patients. Commonly used weaning parameters have poor positive predictive value for successful extubation.

A total of 213 intubated patients in our 20-bed surgical intensive care unit were enrolled in a trial to test a prospective, observational, 2-minute extubation protocol (TMEP). Daily measurements were obtained on all intubated patients who met criteria, which included adequate oxygenation, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, hemoglobin, Glasgow Coma Score greater than 10t, absence of significant metabolic/respiratory acidosis, and absence of therapeutic or neurologic paralysis. During TMEP, endotracheally intubated patients were physically disconnected from the ventilator for a 2-minute period of observation while spontaneously breathing room air. Patients were extubated if they tolerated the trial without clinically significant desaturation or alteration of vital signs or mental status.

The TMEP reliably predicted successful extubations in 203 of 213 patients (95.3%). Patients who required reintubation had a longer intensive care unit stay and a longer hospital stay.

TMEP is a simple and reliable method of predicting successful extubation.