Tube compensation

With spontaneous breathing forms an optimal synchronisation between patient and ventilator should be archieved to reduce additional work of breathing. Tube-related resistance can be offset with tube compensation to eliminate factors that impede weaning due to additional work of breathing (WOBadd). Ideally, this allows patients to breathe on their own as though they had already been extubated. This "virtual extubation" forms an important element of the daily recommended structured spontaneous breathing test to assess the patient's respiratory situation. Tube compensation also alleviates the exhaustion of intubated patients under spontaneous breathing.