Does Early Tracheostomy Affect ICU Outcome? A Review of the Literature

Abstract

The timing of performing a tracheostomy in patients needing prolonged mechanical ventilation has been the subject of many studies over the years. This review surveys the published literature on this topic and describes the findings from the most recent multicenter randomized trials. These data are then used to form the most up-to-date conclusions regarding best practices to guide decisions on timing of tracheostomy in ventilated ICU patients.