Diaphragmatic Activity During Weaning With NAVA, a Pilot Study (NAVA: Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist)

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients who were scheduled for elective major surgery in which admission to the CCU (critical care unit) for postoperative care and short-term mechanical ventilation with rapid weaning were anticipated. Exclusion Criteria: * Preoperative altered central nervous system, neuromuscular or lung disease and ASA (american society of anesthesiologists) classification group IV or NYHA (New York heart association) class IV in the case of cardiac patients. At the CCU, before randomisation, we also excluded patients requiring reoperation, and those who exhibited significant postsurgical bleeding, the development of myocardial infarction, and hemodynamic instability.