N Engl J Med 380 (21): 1997 - 2008, 2019. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1901686 Complications of mechanical ventilation and safeguards Complications of mechanical ventilation can be divided into those resulting from Endotracheal intubation Mechanical ventilation itself Prolonged immobility and inability to eat normally The presence of an endotracheal tube causes risk of sinusitis (which is rarely of clinical importance), ventilator-associated pneumonia, tracheal stenosis, vocal cord injury, and, very rarely, tracheal-esophageal or tracheal-vascular fistula.