Over the last three decades, the length of stay in the pediatric intensive care unit and the severity of illness have not changed, but there has been a substantial reduction in pediatric intensive care unit mortality. However, the proportion of survivors with moderate or severe disability increased significantly. Some children who would have been allowed to die in 1982 and 1995 were kept alive in 2005-2006, but survived with disability. This trend has important implications for our patients and their families, and for the community as a whole.

A single dose of sildenafil prevented rebound after withdrawal of NO, and reduced the duration of mechanical ventilation. Prophylaxis with sildenafil should be considered when weaning patients from inhaled NO.