A note on gastric mucosal acidosis as a mechanical weaning parameter

 Gastric mucosal acidosis has been proposed and studied as an indicator of mechanical ventilator weaning success or failure. Assumption based on the idea that in respiratory distress blood supply get diverted from the splanchnic vascular bed to the respiratory muscles. It has also been proposed that gastric mucosal acidosis if accompanied by higher intraluminal gastric carbon dioxide (PgCO2) can provide a more better criteria of ventilator weaning success or failure. In clinical practice, it is not popular probably because it requires  a special nasogastric tube. Also, other clinical indices so far remained satisfactory for clinicians.



References: 

1. Mohsenifar Z, Hay A, Hay J, et al. Gastric intramural pH as a predictor of success or failure in weaning patients from mechanical ventilation. Ann Intern Med 1993; 119:794. 

2. Hurtado FJ, Berón M, Olivera W, et al. Gastric intramucosal pH and intraluminal PCO2 during weaning from mechanical ventilation. Crit Care Med 2001; 29:70.