Prospective, Randomized Study of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Patients with One versus Three Ventilator Circuit Changes Per Week

Abstract

Decreasing the frequency of ventilator circuit changes from three times to once per week had no adverse effect on the overall rate of VAP. Less frequent ventilator circuit changes may decrease the incidence of VAP among patients ventilated for no more than 1 week. However, the incidence of VAP may be higher among patients with once weekly circuit changes ventilated for more than 1 week.