Percutaneous tracheostomy in COVID patients. Experience in our hospital center after one year of pandemic and review of the literature

The pandemic caused by SARS-COV-2 has caused an increase in the need of tracheostomies in patients affected with respiratory distress syndrome. In this article we report our experience during a year of pandemic, we develop our surgical technique to perform percutaneous tracheostomy with the patient...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medicina oral, patología oral y cirugía bucal patología oral y cirugía bucal, 2022-01, Vol.27 (1), p.e18-e24
Main Authors: Vallejo-Díez, J, Peral-Cagigal, B, García-Sierra, C, Morante-Silva, M, Sánchez-Cuellar, L-A, Redondo-Gonzalez, L-M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
COVID-19
Hospitals
Humans
Pandemics
Respiration, Artificial
Retrospective Studies
Review
SARS-CoV-2
Tracheostomy
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Summary:The pandemic caused by SARS-COV-2 has caused an increase in the need of tracheostomies in patients affected with respiratory distress syndrome. In this article we report our experience during a year of pandemic, we develop our surgical technique to perform percutaneous tracheostomy with the patient in apnea and we compare our results with those of other centers through a bibliographic review. A one-year retrospective clinical study was carried out on tracheotomies performed on patients admitted to the intensive care unit with severe SARS-CoV-2, with difficulty for ventilation or weaning. The technique performed was percutaneous, with fibroscopic control through the endotracheal tube, keeping the patient under apnea during the opening of the airway, reducing by this method the risk of exposure to the virus. From 35 percutaneous tracheotomies performed, 31% of the patients died from respiratory complications due to SARS-COV-2, but none due to the surgical procedure. The most frequent complication (8.5% of patients) was bleeding around the tracheostoma, resolved with local measures. No healthcare provider involved in the performance of the technique had symptoms or was diagnosed with COVID-19. Our technique of performing percutaneous tracheostomy maintaining apnea during the procedure, under fibroscopic control, has proven to be safe for all those involved in the procedure, and for the patient.
ISSN:1698-6946
1698-4447
1698-6946
DOI:10.4317/medoral.24826