The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tracheostomy applications in the COVID and non-COVID intensive care units: A single-center experience

Abstract

Objective: In the early stages of the pandemic, there were reservations about early tracheostomy due to the high risk of infection transmission. We reported the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients who underwent an elective tracheostomy during the pandemic.Materials and Methods: The data from patients who underwent the elective tracheostomy between March 20, 2020, and January 01, 2021, were evaluated retrospectively. Medical records were analyzed for age, gender, comorbidities, complications, and outcomes. The duration from intubation to tracheostomy and the length of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay were calculated. The data of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients (group I) and non-COVID-19 patients (group II) were compared. Additionally, early tracheostomy (<= 14 days) and late tracheostomy (>14 days) groups were compared in terms of clinical outcomes.Results: A total of 144 patients, 70 of whom were diagnosed with COVID-19, were included. Tracheostomy was performed on the median 19th day in both groups (p=0.85). Percutaneous tracheostomy (68.6%) was performed more frequently in COVID-19 patients. The time of tracheostomy application had no positive effect on mortality in either groups. Bleeding occurred less frequently in group I.Conclusion: Percutaneous tracheostomy was performed more frequently in COVID-19 patients. Percutaneous tracheostomy is feasible to be conducted by the ICU team at the bedside with few complications.