TY - JOUR T1 - Ventilator-Disconnect and Death: A Case Study and a Safety Device JF - Respiratory Care SP - 774 LP - 776 VL - 55 IS - 6 AU - William S Lowery Y1 - 2010/06/01 UR - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/55/6/774.abstract N2 - Deaths and injuries related to accidental ventilator disconnection occur in complex ways. A death related to accidental ventilator disconnection is presented from a subacute ventilator facility, and corrective action is discussed. Single-limb ventilators are now equipped with a flow-bypass coupling that prevents patient-side occlusion during disconnect and therefore prevents low-pressure alarm malfunction. Physicians and respiratory therapists can consider this device to prevent partial or total occlusion of the ventilator tracheostomy adapter, thus allowing a low-pressure alarm in the event of a disconnect. ER -