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DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1268983
The time of the tracheotomy in patients status post cardiac procedure has no significant impact on clinical outcome
Introduction: Our objective was to compare the clinical outcome between patients who received tracheotomy either within 8 days, or after more than 8 days following cardiac operations.
Methods: 67 patients who received tracheotomy following cardiac surgery were reviewed in this study. Patients were subdivided into 2 groups: Group 1 consisted of 18 patients with postop ventilation time under 200 hours. Group 2 consisted of 49 patients with postoperative ventilation time longer than 200 hours. We compared the clinical outcome in the two groups.
Results: 67 Patients received tracheotomy. There were 21 female and 46 male patients. Of all patients, 23 required reintubation during hospital stay.
G1 consisted of 18 patients and 49 patients were allocated to G2. Mean age in G1 was 72.7 y in G1 and 67.53y in G2. The hospital mortality rate was 27.7% in G1 and 32% in G2. The mean postoperative ventilation time was 114.88 hours in G1 and 403.32 hours in G2.
Both populations were compared using the Mann-Whitney-U-Test: There was no statistically significant difference between the Euroscore (p=0.432) in both groups. Patients in group 2 received greater amounts of catecholamines (p=0.079) and blood substitution (p=0.09) was administered more frequently. The incidence of pneumonia (p=0.297) and the hospital mortality rate (p=0.632) did not differ significantly in the two groups.
Conclusion: This study suggests that the time at which tracheotomy was performed had no significant impact on clinical outcome. The appropriate time for tracheotomy should be determined individually and under consideration of clinical status.