Importance of performing early tracheostomies in critical patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, early tracheostomy can be defined as that performed in the first 7 days and late, when it is done later.

Patients with COVID-19 require specific ventilatory strategies that involve permanence on mechanical ventilation for several days.

The complications of prolonged orotracheal intubation include orolabial, laryngeal and tracheal damage and the tracheostomy allows reduction of dead space, favoring ventilatory dynamics, reducing early tracheostomy on days on mechanical ventilation.

Objective: To document the average number of days of orotracheal intubation prior to tracheostomy in critical patients with COVID-19.

Methods: A bibliographic review was carried out from the database of a National Institute of Health in Mexico, during the month of July 2021. The data chosen were: diagnosis, number of patients undergoing tracheostomy and days of orotracheal intubation until performing the surgical procedure

Results: 5 tracheostomies were performed with an average of 16.6 days of orotracheal intubation before them.

Conclusions: Despite international studies that demonstrate the benefits of early tracheostomy in patients with COVID-19, these are not performed with the required frequency, thus missing one of the strategies that helps reduce the days of mechanical ventilation in patients. these patients, which favors complications of prolonged oral intubation.