Fig. 1.
The minitracheostomy kit.
Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients
| Overall n=31 | Successful extubation n=22 | Reintubation n=9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years, median (IQR) | 79 (67–84) | 76.5 (64.8–84.5) | 80 (71.5–85) |
| Male, n(%) | 25 (80.6) | 21 (95.5) | 4 (44.4) |
| APACHE II score, median (IQR) | 19 (17–24) | 18 (16–23.3) | 19 (18–28) |
| SOFA score, median (IQR) | 9 (7–11) | 9.5 (7–11.3) | 7 (5.5–11) |
| CURB-65 score, median (IQR) | 3 (2–4) | 3 (3–4) | 3 (2–3.5) |
| MV duration, median (IQR) | 6 (5–10) | 6 (4–10) | 7 (5.5–10) |
| Suctions within 24 hours before extubation, median (IQR) | 10 (7–12) | 10 (7.8–12) | 10 (6.5–12) |
[i] IQR, interquartile range; APACHE II, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II; SOFA, sequential organ failure assessment; CURB-65, confusion, uremia, elevated respiratory rate, hypotension, and age >65; MV, mechanical ventilation
Fig. 2
Flowchart of patient inclusion in the study. Thirty-one patients with pneumonia were selected from 46 patients who underwent minitracheostomy at our institution between April 2013 and December 2017. Ten patients required tracheostomy. Eight patients did not require intubation, tracheostomy, or minitracheostomy.
Table 2.
Patient outcomes
| Overall n=31 | Successful extubation n=22 | Reintubation n=9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-day mortality, n (%) | 6 (19.4) | 4 (18.2) | 2 (22.2) |
| ICU length of stay, days, median (IQR) | 11 (9–15) | 11 (8–14.3) | 14 (11–18.5) |
| Hospital length of stay, days, median (IQR) | 26 (16–40) | 23 (15.5–41) | 30 (16–45.5) |
| Tracheostomy, n (%) | 10 (32.3) | 4 (18.2) | 6 (66.7) |
[i] ICU, intensive care unit; IQR, interquartile range