[Pneumonia and Mortality in Patients Requiring Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation].

We examined patients who required prolonged (>60 days) mechanical ventilation. A total of 31 patients were studied, 23 with pulmonary disease, 4 with neurologic disease and 4 with other conditions. Many of these patients were elderly. The survival rates one year and two years after the start of mechanical ventilation were 40% and 33%, respectively. Respiratory tract infection was the most common and most serious complication, and ventilator-associated pneumonia was the main cause of death. It is difficult but quite important to prevent these complications, especially ventilator-associated pneumonia.