Direct blood pressure monitoring can be performed in patients under anesthesia and patients on long-term ventilation. We are able to place patients on a mechanical ventilator when under anesthesia for surgical procedures. Long-term ventilation is performed in our ICU for patients that have severe respiratory or neurologic disease. Excellent ventilator candidates include patients with pulmonary contusions after trauma, noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, as well as patients with certain neurological diseases.