Comparison of Outcomes of Early Versus Late Tracheostomy in the Treatment of Mechanically Ventilated Critically ill Patients

Comparative evaluation of early and late tracheostomy outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients. The present retrospective study was conducted in Government medical college Jammu from April 2021 to November 2022 on 111 tracheotomised patient in intensive care unit. All tracheostomies with in 10 days of intubation were grouped as early tracheostomy (ET) group and all those done after 10 days were grouped as LATE TRACHEOSTOMY (LT) group. APACHE II score at the time of intensive care unit admission of all included tracheotomised patients was noted. Data regarding mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay in intensive care unit (ICU) was studied. Mean age of presentation was 41.5 ± 15.7 yrs, with male preponderance. Out of 111 patients, 57 patients underwent early tracheostomy and 54 underwent late TRACHEOSTOMY. In APACHE II, < 25 category-short term mortality was 4 in ET and 5 in LT; long term mortality in ET was 4 and 10 in LT; average days of mechanical ventilation were 11.2 in ET and 3 in LT; average stay in ICU was 18 days in ET and 61 days in LT. in APACHE II > 25—short term mortality was 4 in ET and 5 in LT; long term mortality in ET was 3 and 9 in LT. Average days of mechanical ventilation were 10.8 in ET and 57 in LT; average stay in ICU was 24 days in ET and 79 days in LT. Early tracheostomy is superior to late Tracheostomy in terms of mortality, number of days of mechanical ventilation and the duration of intensive care unit stay.