Comparison of complications in stroke subjects undergoing early versus standard tracheostomy.

BACKGROUND Although the benefits of early tracheostomy have been discussed in numerous studies, it is still unclear whether it is safe to perform early tracheostomy on unstable stroke patients. The purpose of this study is to assess the influences of the timing of tracheostomy on the incidence of complications following surgical tracheostomy in stroke patients. METHODS We retrospectively performed chart reviews of 95 stroke subjects who underwent tracheostomy. In terms of timing, procedures performed within 7 d of intubation were categorized as early tracheostomy, and those performed after 7 d were categorized as standard tracheostomy. The incidence of complications following tracheostomy was compared between the two groups. The risk factors for complication were also investigated. RESULTS Among the 95 subjects, 59 (62.1%) received early tracheostomy and 36 (37.9%) received standard tracheostomy. The overall incidence of tracheostomy complications was 24.2%, and there was no significant difference in incidence between the two groups. A comparison of risk factors between the groups with and without complications revealed no significant differences in age, sex, body mass index, Glasgow coma scale score, stroke type, or history of underlying disease. However, activated partial thromboplastin time was significantly higher in the group with complication. CONCLUSIONS There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications in stroke subjects undergoing early versus standard tracheotomy.