The outcome of mechanically ventilated infants and children

With the aid of a departmental data base system and registers for inpatients stays mortality and length of stay in a pediatric intensive care unit were studied in 549 stays where the patient was treated with mechanical ventilation. Mortality and length of stay after transfer from the ICU were also studied. The mortality in the unit was 25% overall and increased to 33% after 180 days. Average time on the ventilator was 5.9 days and after transfer from the intensive care unit the patients were hospitalized for an average of 6 days during the following 180 days.