Hi my name is Lm,a, my brother suffered from H1N1 and ARDS, he is now admitted in ICU , isolated, sedated and ventilated, he is on antibiotics and tamiflu ,today is day 23 with stable condition, his saturation between 91-95 %,  the doctors advised to do tracheostomy, my question is : when his condition will be better, the tracheostomy can be removed? Then he can breath normally ? For how long they will keep him on ventilation?Thanks a lot for this benefit site ..
Hello and thank you for asking Chat Doctor, I understand your concern, but everything depends on if you have a temporary tracheostomy or permanent. If its temporary than the tube should be able to be removed when you are able to breathe, protect your airway and clear fluids unaided. It is hard to say how long your son will be on ventilation without knowing his condition. But here are some conditions in which you can expect removal: Patient is alert and oriented and responsive to commands, patient is no longer dependent on a ventilator for assisted breathing, the frequency requirement for tracheal suctioning is less than once a day. But everything depends on his condition and judgement of his doctor. I hope this answer was helpful to you.