TY - JOUR
T1 - The surgical airway in the COVID-19 era
AU - Azmy, Monica C.
AU - Pathak, Shravani
AU - Schiff, Bradley A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2022/6
Y1 - 2022/6
N2 - The aim is to summarize the guidelines for tracheostomy management during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a comparative study analysis and literature review using articles found in the PubMed/MEDLINE database. Here we summarize published work on tracheostomy timing, technique, outcomes, mortality, and decannulation rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on expertise from our own institution. Among 12 studies, 2,692 tracheostomies were performed at an average of 17.5 days from intubation. 66.4% were performed open, and 33.6% percutaneously. A total of 85.6% were performed bedside, and 14.4% in the operating room. 19.5% experienced all-cause mortality, and 43.4% were decannulated. In these studies, only 1 proceduralist became infected with COVID-19. Early COVID-19 recommendations advocated for tracheostomy a minimum of 14 days from intubation. Currently, tracheostomy is performed more closely to prepandemic criteria. Bedside tracheostomy comprised most procedures during the pandemic. Tracheostomy in COVID-19 patients, when performed with techniques to minimize aerosolization, is safe and poses minimal risk of infection to providers performing the procedure.
AB - The aim is to summarize the guidelines for tracheostomy management during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a comparative study analysis and literature review using articles found in the PubMed/MEDLINE database. Here we summarize published work on tracheostomy timing, technique, outcomes, mortality, and decannulation rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on expertise from our own institution. Among 12 studies, 2,692 tracheostomies were performed at an average of 17.5 days from intubation. 66.4% were performed open, and 33.6% percutaneously. A total of 85.6% were performed bedside, and 14.4% in the operating room. 19.5% experienced all-cause mortality, and 43.4% were decannulated. In these studies, only 1 proceduralist became infected with COVID-19. Early COVID-19 recommendations advocated for tracheostomy a minimum of 14 days from intubation. Currently, tracheostomy is performed more closely to prepandemic criteria. Bedside tracheostomy comprised most procedures during the pandemic. Tracheostomy in COVID-19 patients, when performed with techniques to minimize aerosolization, is safe and poses minimal risk of infection to providers performing the procedure.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Surgical airway
KW - Tracheostomy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130884507&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.otot.2022.04.009
DO - 10.1016/j.otot.2022.04.009
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85130884507
SN - 1043-1810
VL - 33
SP - 134
EP - 140
JO - Operative Techniques in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
JF - Operative Techniques in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
IS - 2
ER -