A recently published study reports in JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg suggests that early intervention for patients with postintubation laryngeal injury was associated with a decreased duration of tracheostomy dependence, a higher rate of decannulation, and fewer surgical procedures compared with late intervention. Patients who underwent early intervention also avoided open reconstruction, wrote the research team.
Patients with laryngeal injury after endotracheal intubation often present long after initial injury with mature fibrosis compromising cricoarytenoid joint mobility and glottic function.
With this in mind, researchers undertook a study to compare functional outcomes between early and late intervention for intubation-related laryngeal injury.
As for the study design,this retrospective cohort study involved 29 patients with laryngeal injury resulting from endotracheal intubation who were evaluated at a tertiary care center between May 1, 2014, and June 1, 2018. Ten patients with intubation injury to the posterior glottis who received early treatment (median, 34.7 days to presentation; interquartile range [IQR], 1.5-44.8 days) were compared with 19 patients presenting with posterior glottic stenosis who received late treatment (median, 341.9 days to presentation; IQR, 132.7-376.3 days). Statistical analysis was performed from May 1 to July 1, 2019.
Early intervention, defined as a procedure performed 45 days or less after intubation, and late treatment, defined as an intervention performed greater than 45 days after intubation.
Patient-specific and intervention-specific covariates were compared between the 2 groups, absolute differences with 95% CIs were calculated, and time to tracheostomy decannulation was compared using log-rank testing.
Results revealed some interesting facts.
The 2 groups had similar demographic characteristics and a similar burden of comorbid disease. Ten patients who received early intervention (7 women [70%]; median age, 59.7 years [range, 31-72 years]; median, 34.7 days to presentation [IQR, 1.5-44.8 days]) were compared with 19 patients who received late intervention (11 women [58%]; median age, 53.8 years [range, 34-73 years]; median, 288.8 days to presentation [IQR, 132.7-376.3 days]).
Nine of 10 patients (90%) who received early intervention and 11 of 19 patients (58%) who received late interventions were decannulated at last follow-up (absolute difference, 32%; 95% CI, −3% to 68%).
Patients who received early treatment required fewer total interventions than patients with mature lesions (mean, 2.2 vs 11.5; absolute difference, 9.3; 95% CI, 6.4-12.1).
In addition, none of the patients who received early treatment required an open procedure, whereas 17 patients (90%) with mature lesions required open procedures to pursue decannulation.
" These findings may bear relevance to the management of patients requiring extended durations of endotracheal intubation during recovery for critical illness related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection."wrote the team.
For full article follow the link: 10.1001/jamaoto.2020.451
Primary source: JAMA Otolaryngology