Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a respiratory illness caused by a chronic inflammatory process in the airways and lungs, most often related to tobacco use.

This process leads to airflow obstruction, which manifests as shortness of breath, cough, and expectoration.

Por progresión de la enfermedad o por una multiplicidad de causas, un paciente con EPOC puede requerir ventilación mecánica, siendo una de las patologías con mayor dificultad en el retiro de la misma. In more severe cases, patients may require supplemental oxygen and mechanical ventilation.

It is an increasingly common condition. Thanks to current medical advances, patients in advanced stages of the disease are now living longer—although often with significant limitations that affect their daily life.

Due to disease progression or a variety of contributing factors, a patient with COPD may require mechanical ventilation. COPD is one of the most challenging conditions when it comes to weaning from mechanical ventilation.

As a result, these patients present a high level of complexity and require the support of a specialized care team.
Prolonged stays in Intensive Care Units (ICUs), which are common among these patients, add ICU-acquired weakness to their pre-existing respiratory weakness—requiring a multidisciplinary approach to achieve optimal recovery.

Our Approach to COPD Care

At Santa Catalina, we dedicate our efforts to the care and rehabilitation of COPD patients.
Our extensive experience is supported by the number of patients treated and our participation in national and international publications and conferences in the field.
We provide care for both hospitalized patients requiring mechanical ventilation and outpatients undergoing respiratory rehabilitation.

Aims During Hospitalization

• Weaning from mechanical ventilation (MV) 
• Partial weaning from mechanical ventilation (MV)
•  Adaptation to non-invasive ventilation (NIV) 
•  Alternative techniques for phonation/communication 
•  Swallowing rehabilitation for tracheostomized patients
•  Decannulation (removal of tracheostomy tube)
•  Comprehensive rehabilitation to improve independence in activities of daily living

To achieve these aims, we rely on a specialized team that includes pulmonologists, intensivists, respiratory and motor physiotherapists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and trained nurses.

A wide variety of studies are performed to aid diagnosis and rehabilitation planning, including:
Radiography, arterial blood gases, pulmonary function testing, daytime and nighttime oximetry, P0.1 / end-tidal CO₂, maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (PiMAX/PeMAX), peak cough flow, measurement of respiratory workload, volumetric capnography, fiberoptic bronchoscopy, swallowing evaluations (Blue Test, Bedside, FESS, Videofluoroscopy), and polysomnography.

Once the patient is evaluated, a systematized protocol for weaning from mechanical ventilation is initiated, aiming for complete independence from the ventilator. In cases where this is not possible, we pursue partial weaning (spontaneous breathing during the day and mechanical support at night) or transition to non-invasive ventilation (using a mask and bilevel devices).

During the weaning process, functional independence and reintegration into daily life are simultaneously addressed through Occupational Therapy.
Swallowing function is rehabilitated with Speech-Language Pathology and Respiratory Therapy.
Communication is also addressed, helping the patient to phonate using subglottic air or leak ventilation.
For patients unable to tolerate subglottic air or who have swallowing disorders preventing cuff deflation, alternative communication methods are used.

Quality of Life
The goal of respiratory rehabilitation is to train the patient through structured and supervised aerobic exercise, thereby improving exercise tolerance and reducing dyspnea.
Although respiratory rehabilitation does not increase life expectancy or pulmonary function, it significantly improves the patient’s quality of life, reduces the number of exacerbations, and lowers the risk of hospital readmission.