Tracheostomy in the ICU: Hope or delusion?

Abstract

Introduction: Current literature suggests that tracheostomy has no impact on survival in unselected intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and that it actually transfers mortality from ICU to the ward. Methods: Data from 71 adult subjects who underwent tracheostomy as part of their ICU management and were subsequently transferred to the ward were obtained retrospectively. Results: During 2015, 104 subjects received tracheostomy. Thirty-two died during their initial ICU admission (30.4%) and were excluded from analysis. Of the remaining 73 individuals, 28 died (38.3%) in hospital. Most common diagnoses were sepsis (33.8%) and neurological emergencies (23.9%). Life-sustaining treatments were withheld or withdrawn in 25 decedents. Seven subjects died in later hospitalizations at our institution over the period recorded. Conclusions: Tracheostomy may represent a burden after ICU discharge, involving high resource use and low survival rate. Efforts should be made to recognize patients who might clearly benefit from this technique to avoid unwanted prolonged mechanical ventilation. Keywords: Tracheostomy; critical illness; decision-makin