The Effect of Tracheostomy Timing on Clinical Outcomes in Children

Introduction: Optimal timing for tracheostomy in children is not well defined. Our aim is to examine the pre-tracheostomy morbidities, indications and association of early tracheostomy on clinical outcomes. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all patients who underwent tracheostomy in the Dokuz Eylul University Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) between January 2012 and September 2020. We categorized patients into the early and late tracheostomy groups according to time on a mechanical ventilator before tracheostomy using a cut-off of 14 days. Pre-tracheostomy morbidities [ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP), central line associated bloodstream infection], indications and clinical outcomes (including length of ICU and hospital stay, incidence of VAP and mortality) were compared between early and late groups. Results: Of the 104 patients undergone tracheostomy, 90 were included in the study: Thirty patients in the early group, 60 patients in the late group. Tracheostomy rate of our unit was 6.06%, with a median ventilator time before tracheostomy of 20 days. VAP and lung tissue disease indication for tracheostomy independently increased pre-tracheostomy mechanical ventilation time by 8 and 12.6 days, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in VAP rate after tracheostomy, successful decannulation and mortality between early and late group. Early group had lower post-tracheostomy ICU-length of stay (LOS) (8.5 vs. 13 days p=0.041) and total ICU-LOS (17.5 vs. 45 days p<0.001). Controlling for age, tracheostomy indication, central line associated bloodstream infection and VAP; tracheostomy timing was independently associated with ICU-LOS. Late tracheostomy timing increased the ICU-LOS by 10.7 days (p=0.041). Conclusion: Our results suggest that early timing of tracheostomy is associated with reduced ICU-LOS and VAP in children, consistent with the current literature.