Tracheostomy in Critically Ill Covid 19 Patients: A Review of Outcome

Abstract

The novel human coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which can result in serious respiratory illness requiring endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, and tracheostomy. Resources on the indication, ideal timing and outcomes for tracheostomy in COVID-19 patients are still limited. Tracheostomy is an aerosol generating procedure with risk of transmission of airborne disease to healthcare workers (HCWs)1. However, tracheostomy aids in ventilation liberation2 for mechanical ventilated patient in general but resources on overall outcome for tracheostomy in COVID-19 patients are not well reported. Thus, a trained surgeon, adequate safety equipment and measures are essential to reduce timing of exposure through this aerosol-generating procedures and reduce risk of complications.