Rehabilitation of Mechanically Ventilated and Tracheostomized Patients - Volume II

Building on Volume I’s success, this Research Topic continues to advance research on the rehabilitation of mechanically ventilated and tracheostomized patients, covering the whole life span from children to elderly patients, with a focus on emerging evidence, unresolved challenges and innovative approaches to lifelong care.Ageing populations, advances in critical care, and rising rates of noncommunicable, neurological and multisystem disease mean more people now live with severe disability and prolonged or permanent dependence on life-supporting technologies. These patients face complex physical, respiratory, communicative, cognitive and psychological impairments affecting functioning, participation and quality of life. While early, interdisciplinary, goal-oriented rehabilitation is well supported, questions remain about optimal timing, intensity, coordination and long-term delivery across intensive care, specialist rehabilitation, home and community settings. Advances in weaning, decannulation, early mobilisation, respiratory care, communication support and shared decision-making have expanded opportunities, but access and pathways remain inconsistent — underscoring the need for evidence-informed models integrating rehabilitation, intensive care, palliative care and lifelong support.Pediatric evidence is especially limited, with low certainty and substantial heterogeneity. Priorities include standardized rehabilitation pathways, evidence-based weaning and decannulation protocols, validated pediatric outcome measures, and longitudinal evaluation of functional, developmental and quality-of-life outcomes.This Research Topic aims to advance comprehensive, person-centred rehabilitation for patients with prolonged or permanent tracheostomy or mechanical ventilation — optimising weaning and decannulation, promoting physical and cognitive recovery, supporting communication and swallowing, reducing complications, and enabling participation in family and community life. Contributions may also address family/caregiver experiences, interdisciplinary care models, ethical decision-making, health economics and care organisation across the patient journey, seeking clinically effective, feasible and equitable approaches that improve outcomes, dignity and quality of life.We welcome articles across acute, post-acute, specialist, community and out-of-hospital settings addressing themes including, but not limited to:-Diagnostic methods and findings in mechanically ventilated and tracheostomized patients-Weaning from mechanical ventilation and decannulation-Therapy of dysphagia and cough insufficiency-Early mobilisation, physical rehabilitation and disability prevention-Respiratory therapy in rehabilitation-Airway management and prevention of tracheostomy-related complications-Speech, language and alternative communication interventions-Cognitive, psychological and neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation-Medical ethics, palliative care, advance care planning and shared decision-making-Interdisciplinary roles across physicians, nurses, therapists, psychologists and other healthcare professionals-Involvement, education and support of family caregivers and trained lay people-Specialist healthcare structures, referral pathways and continuity of care-Patient journeys, lifelong care and transitions between hospital, rehabilitation and home-Participation, autonomy, dignity and quality of life-Digital health, tele-rehabilitation and remote monitoring-Health economics and equitable access to care-Service evaluation, implementation science, clinical guidelines and policy developmentSubmissions on other related aspects are also welcome. This Research Topic accepts original research, brief research reports, clinical trials, study protocols, case reports/series, review articles, systematic reviews, opinion papers, and policy and practice reviews. Topic editors: Martin Groß, Tobias Schmidt-Wilcke, Sven Hirschfeld, Michael Westhoff, Elaine Chan Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84072/rehabilitation-of-mechanically-ventilated-and-tracheostomized-patients---volume-ii