Outcome of tracheotomized patients following reintubation.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the outcome of tracheotomized patients after reintubation. METHOD Secondary analysis from a prospective, multicenter and observational study including 36 Intensive Care Units (ICUs) from 8 countries. PATIENTS A total of 180 patients under mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours, extubated and reintubated within 48 hours. INTERVENTIONS None. OUTCOMES ICU mortality, length of ICU stay, organ failure. RESULTS Fifty-two patients (29%) underwent tracheotomy after reintubation. The median time from reintubation to tracheotomy was 2.5 days (interquartile range (IQR) 1-8 days). The length of ICU stay was significantly longer in the tracheotomy group compared with the group without tracheotomy (median time 25 days, IQR 17-43 versus 16.5 days (IQR 11-25); p<0.001). ICU mortality in the tracheotomy group was not significantly different (31% versus 27%; p 0.57). CONCLUSIONS In our cohort of reintubated patients, tracheotomy is a common procedure in the ICU. Patients with tracheotomy had an outcome similar to those without tracheotomy.