Early versus Late tracheostomy and its effect on withdrawal of mechanical ventilation in severe head injury patients-A retrospective study

Ajeet Jyotipurkar; Sandeep Rathore

Volume : IX, Issue : I, January - 2019

Early versus Late tracheostomy and its effect on withdrawal of mechanical ventilation in severe head injury patients-A retrospective study

Ajeet Jyotipurkar, Sandeep Rathore

Abstract :

Introduction: Effect of withdrawal of ventilatory support in severely head injured patients and its outcomes regarding duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay incidence of pneumonia and mortality. Method: 60 patients with severe head injury with GCS<8 admitted to SICU for mechanical ventilation divided into early and late tracheostomy group according to timing of tracheostomy(early <5 and late > 5 days) and patients outcome were studied retrospectively. Result: There was no significant difference in terms of age, sex , Glasgow Coma Scale score, incidence of pneumonia and mortality. In early tracheostomy group the duration of mechanical ventilation was significantly shorter 8.03±4.60 (3 – 18 days) with a shorter length of ICU stay 10.03±4.42 (5–20 days) . Conclusion: Early tracheostomy significantly decreases the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay but not on incidence of Pneumonia, GOS(Glasgow Outcome Scale) patients mortality or operative outcomes.