Objective: To examine the impact of early tracheotomy in nontrauma patients on duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and overall hospital stay.
Design: Case series with chart review.
Setting: Tertiary care medical center.
Methods: A retrospective study was performed for patients undergoing tracheotomy from 2005 to 2010. Demographics; survival; duration of endotracheal intubation, MV, ICU, and overall hospital stay; and incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) were assessed. Tracheotomy was considered early if it was performed by day 7 of MV and late thereafter. Nonparametric statistics were used to compare results from each group.
Results: Of the 592 patients included in the analysis, 128 received tracheotomy early and 464 late. Differences between age, sex, and overall survival were not statistically significant. Duration of MV was 45% less (mean ± standard error: 21.47 ± 1.86 days vs 39.33 ± 1.33 days; P < .001), total ICU stay was shortened by 33% (17.52 ± 1.38 days vs 26.27 ± 0.73 days; P < .001), and length of overall hospital course was reduced by 34% (35.85 ± 2.57 days vs 54.28 ± 1.60 days; P < .001) in the early tracheotomy group. Three patients (2.3%) from the early tracheotomy group developed VAP as compared with 15 (3.2%) from the late group. Duration from tracheotomy to ICU transfer and 30% overall mortality did not differ significantly between groups.
Conclusion: Early tracheotomy in ICU patients is associated with earlier ICU discharge, shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, and decreased length of overall hospital stay without affecting mortality.