Percutaneous Dilational Tracheostomy for Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients Requiring Mechanical Ventilation.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of percutaneous dilational tracheostomy in coronavirus disease 2019 patients requiring mechanical ventilation and the risk for healthcare providers. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study; patients were enrolled between March 11, and April 29, 2020. The date of final follow-up was July 30, 2020. We used a propensity score matching approach to compare outcomes. Study outcomes were formulated before data collection and analysis. SETTING: Critical care units at two large metropolitan hospitals in New York City. PATIENTS: Five-hundred forty-one patients with confirmed severe coronavirus disease 2019 respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. INTERVENTIONS: Bedside percutaneous dilational tracheostomy with modified visualization and ventilation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Required time for discontinuation off mechanical ventilation, total length of hospitalization, and overall patient survival. Of the 541 patients, 394 patients were eligible for a tracheostomy. One-hundred sixteen were early percutaneous dilational tracheostomies with median time of 9 days after initiation of mechanical ventilation (interquartile range, 7-12 d), whereas 89 were late percutaneous dilational tracheostomies with a median time of 19 days after initiation of mechanical ventilation (interquartile range, 16-24 d). Compared with patients with no tracheostomy, patients with an early percutaneous dilational tracheostomy had a higher probability of discontinuation from mechanical ventilation (absolute difference, 30%; p < 0.001; hazard ratio for successful discontinuation, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.34-5.84; p = 0.006) and a lower mortality (absolute difference, 34%, p < 0.001; hazard ratio for death, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.06-0.22; p < 0.001). Compared with patients with late percutaneous dilational tracheostomy, patients with early percutaneous dilational tracheostomy had higher discontinuation rates from mechanical ventilation (absolute difference 7%; p < 0.35; hazard ratio for successful discontinuation, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.01-2.3; p = 0.04) and had a shorter median duration of mechanical ventilation in survivors (absolute difference, -15 d; p < 0.001). None of the healthcare providers who performed all the percutaneous dilational tracheostomies procedures had clinical symptoms or any positive laboratory test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. CONCLUSIONS: In coronavirus disease 2019 patients on mechanical ventilation, an early modified percutaneous dilational tracheostomy was safe for patients and healthcare providers and associated with improved clinical outcomes.

Concomitant temporary mechanical support in high-risk coronary artery bypass surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) undergoing high-risk coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are at increased risk for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock. This report describes planned concomitant microaxial temporary mechanical support (MA-TMS) device placement as a viable bridge-to-recovery strategy for high-risk patients receiving surgical revascularization. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed for all patients from October 2017 to May 2019 with low LVEF (<30%), New York Heart Association Class III or IV symptoms, and myocardial viability who underwent CABG with prophylactic MA-TMS support at a single institution (n = 13). RESULTS: Mean patient age was 64.8 years, and 12 patients (92%) were male. Eight patients (62%) presented with acute coronary syndrome. Mean predicted risk of mortality was 4.6%, ranging from 0.6% to 15.6%. An average of 3.4 grafts were performed per patient. Greater than 60% of patients were extubated within 48 hours and out-of-bed within 72 hours, and the average duration of MA-TMS was 5.7 days. Mean postoperative length of stay was 16.7 days. There were no postoperative myocardial infarctions or deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic MA-TMS may allow safe and effective surgical revascularization for patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction who may otherwise be offered a durable ventricular assist device.