Authors

Cristina Subirana Ferrés1, Isabel Díaz Martos2, Nuria Romero Navarrete3, Arantxa López Molina4, Andrea Muñoz Pozo5, Jordi Adamuz Tomas6

Position

1Enfermera clínica. Unidad Enfermedades Respiratorias. Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge. Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (España)2Enfermera. CAP Área Médica y de Cirugía Torácica. Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge. Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (España)3Enfermera gestora. Unidad de Cirugía Torácica y Neumología. Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge. Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (España)4Enfermera. Unidad de Cirugía Torácica y Neumología. Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge. Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (España)5Enfermera. Unidad de Cirugías Digestivas. Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge. Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (España) 6Doctor por la Universitat de Barcelona. Enfermero. Unidad de soporte. Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge. Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (España)

Contact address

Cristina Subirana Ferrés. Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge. C/ Feixa Llarga, s/n. 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona (España).

Contact email: csubirana@bellvitgehospital.cat

Abstract

Objectives: to understand tracheostomy-related complications in post-COVID-19 patients treated with different oxygen therapy devices and their associated factors.
Methods: an observational retrospective study was conducted in adult patients with post-COVID-19 tracheostomy, who were hospitalized at the Respiratory Semi-critical Care Unit of the Bellvitge University Hospital (Barcelona, Spain), from August 2021 to May 2022. The variables were: sociodemographic, clinical, comorbidities, associated with tracheostomy and oxygenation systems, complications. Descriptive analysis was conducted, as well as comparison of variables in order to identify the risk factors associated with said complications.
Results: the study included 28 patients; 85.7% were male. Their median age was 65.50. The median number of hospitalization days at ICU was 61.5 days. Their main comorbidities: hypertension (42.9%) and diabetes (35.7%). High-flow devices were used by 78.6% of patients; 32.1% of them presented complications associated with tracheostomy management. The most frequent complications were the presence of mucous plug (33.3%) and an alteration in consistency of secretions (33.3%). Male patients presented more complications than female patients (88.9% vs.11.1%), as well as patients with a smoking history (66.7% vs. 33.3%, p= 0.028). Patients who were carriers of high-flow devices presented almost no complications (94.7% vs. 5.3%, p= 0.007).
Conclusions: the use of oxygen therapy devices incorporating active humidification and temperature control is a useful option in order to reduce those complications associated with the loss of this physiological function of the nasopharyngeal anatomy in patients with tracheostomy.

Keywords:

Tracheotomy; COVID19; oxigenotherapy; high flow; complications

Versión en Español

Título:

Complicaciones relacionadas con la traqueotomía en pacientes pos-COVID-19 tratados con distintos dispositivos de oxigenoterapia