Comparative evaluation of early versus late tracheostomy for reduction of the length of ICU stay, incidence of nosocomial pneumonias, risk of laryngeal injury and mortality of mechanically ventilated patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Western India.

INTRODUCTION: Tracheostomy is a very common procedure performed in ICU as it offers significant advantages over prolonged endotracheal intubation. It facilitates weaning by decreasing the work of breathing in patients with limited reserve by decreasing the dead space area, decreases the requirement for sedation, and may allow for earlier patient mobilization, feeding, and physical and occupational therapy as compared to prolonged intubation along with lesser oral and oropharyngeal ulcerations, improves pulmonary toileting, and lowers incidence of pulmonary infections. Tracheostomy, however, is not devoid of risks. Complications may include hemorrhage, stoma infections and granulations, pneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, tracheal stenosis, tracheomalacia, and rarely death. Hence, performance of tracheostomy should be considerate to outweigh benefit-risk ratio.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the early versus late tracheostomy for reduction of the length of ICU stay, incidence of nosocomial pneumonias, risk of laryngeal injury and mortality of mechanically ventilated patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study from May, 2019 to April, 2021 of patients being tracheostomized in medical ICU at Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, who were previously intubated endotracheally and were on mechanical ventilation. The decision to tracheostomize would be taken by physicians in their routine rounds in ICU.

RESULTS: Incidence of endolaryngeal complications like laryngotracheal stenosis, stomal granulations, fistula as well as nosocomial infections have lower incidence in early tracheostomy as compared to with late. Mortality remains same in both the groups as well as hospital and ICU stay.