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. © 2023 DAE Editorial, Grupo Paradigma. All rights reserved.