How long can a person be on a ventilator in an ICU?

I'm looking for the medical community to answer this one. I have a debate going with a doctor, so if you could site where I could find the info, that would be helpful as well.

If a person is on a vent, and does not have a trach, how long do hospitals (namely ICU's) allow this? He says 10 days is the standard, according to JACHO, however, I think it can go on much longer, depending upon the patient. Any ideas?

In my practice, the average days of mechanical ventilation for an intubated patient is between 7 and 9 days(Report from the local audit). However, the report also revealed that the maximum days of ventilation(intubated patients) was 13 days. This means, it entirely depends on the patient`s condition and co-morbidity.
As everyone is aware that prolonged mechanical ventilation causes various complications such as ventilatory associated pneumonia and complications related to sedation such as DVT, gastricparasis, stress ulcers and so on.
Many patients can successfully be extubated even in the very next day when the primary problem is not concerned with the lungs.Eg: drug overdose. However, patients with chronic lung problems, and poor heart function might often end up in Tracheostomy hence, to wean the ventilatory support gently while they are in intensive care. Again weaning strategies are purely vary on the individual patients. Despite a strict weaning protocol, some patients might not do well with the weaning strategies during which time the decision will be made on the best interest of the patient that whether to continue the life support or not.
I am quite surprised to hear that patients in coma are ventilated over years. If the patient is not going to have a quality of life or show signs of recovery even after undergoing every treatment possible including a mechanical ventilation, what is the point of continuing the ventilatory support in those situation? I don not think that would be the best interest of the patient.(I am sorry..I have drifted from the actual question).
So, patients might be ventilated upto 10 to 12 days until they get the trachy done or meantime they might be extubated.
Hope, this helps

I think the 10 days that the doc is referring to is how long the patient can be on a vent without a trach. The longer a person is ventilated without a trach there is a greater likelihood of developing pneumonia which in an already sick patient is bad. So most docs/surgeons will recommend a trach for patients who require prolonged ventilatory support.
Patients can last for years potentially on ventilation (think of patients in comas for many years, brain damage etc.)

Alot, depends on the Hospital. It also depends on the insurance. I know someone who has been on the vent over a year. He, however was moved from ICU to a long term care facility.

atleast 12 weeks hun. no worries.

With an endotracheal tube on the ventilator, at our facility we will wait about 10-14 days to trach a patient who is still requiring mechanical ventilation.

Once trached, a patient can be on mechanical ventilation until they don't require it anymore. Basically there are some people who never get off of a ventilator.

Once the tracheostomy is done (after 7 to 10 days) and weaning has not been successful, a patient can remain on a ventilator for the rest of his/her natural life. Death is declared by a lack of brain activity on EEG (hence the term, "brain dead"). It thus makes no difference how long the patient is hooked up to the vent..