Disuse muscle atrophy, delirium, opioid addiction, benzodiazepine dependence, agitation, antibiotic-resistant infection, and microbiome derangement are among compounding iatrogenic expenses that start accruing, like debt on a high-interest loan, on admission to the postoperative intensive care unit (ICU). Recognizing the rapidly compounding dangers of ICU care, an “ICU liberation” philosophy is gaining traction in adult and pediatric settings, with coordinated attention to reducing sedation, performing early extubation, and encouraging mobility, aiming to pre-empt the cascade of iatrogenic complications that derails recovery for patients in the ICU.
