The foregoing discussion has reviewed the concept that postoperative ventilator dependency following heart surgery is due to a combination of risk factors, partly due to the nature of the patient population and partly to the process of patient care. Weaning from mechanical ventilation has been a controversial topic for decades, but the issue of rehabilitation before successful weaning has only recently achieved recognition. The fact that this process is often prolonged suggests that a certain logic must be used during the rehabilitation process. Appropriate minimization of risks with continued mechanical ventilation and concise protocols for gradually withdrawing support of mechanical ventilation may insure the quality of the patient care process. It should be understood by both the physician and patient that the ventilator for the patient population discussed previously acts merely as a "crutch" that will facilitate the process of rehabilitation.