The analysis of the study group of 124 patients revealed a statistically significant shortening of mechanical ventilation requirement period in patients in whom tracheotomy had been performed before hospitalization day 10 (G1). The average length of mechanical ventilation was shorter by 20.3 days in G1 as compared to G2. On average, the duration of ICU stay was shorter by 39.4 days in G1 as compared to G2. Total hospitalization time was also significantly shorter in this group of patients (G1). The overall length of hospital stay for patients in whom tracheotomy had been performed prior to hospitalization day 10 was on average 43.1 days shorter as compared to patients in whom the procedure had been performed at a later date. Tab. I. provides the comparison of the results obtained in both study groups. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were demonstrated between G1 and G2 regarding the length of the mechanical ventilation, the length of ICU stay, and length of hospitalization. null null No statistically significant differences were observed in mortality rates between the study groups (Fig. 1.) (P = 0.256). The mortality rate in early tracheotomy group (G1) was lower and amounted to 2%. In patients in whom tracheotomy was performed on day 10 or later (G2), the mortality rate was slightly higher and amounted to 9%. In some patients, initiation of treatment was required due to pneumonia developing as a complication in mechanically ventilated patients and referred to as ventilator-associated pneumonia. This complication developed in 6 patients in G1 and 26 patients in G2. The study assessed the relationship between the occurrence of this complication and the timing of tracheotomy. Pneumonia was significantly more frequent in patients in whom tracheotomy had been performed on hospitalization day 10 or later (P = 0.011). null null The comparison of results is presented in Tab. II.</br> </br>Another analyzed aspect of the study consisted in the results obtained by the patients in the baseline evaluation of the level of consciousness as assessed using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Data were checked for potential correlation between the GCS scores and the timing of the tracheotomy and the lengths of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, and hospitalization. Correlation between GCS scores and the duration of stay within the ICU was demonstrated with a statistically significant correlation coefficient (Spearman's rank coefficient in the range of -0.4 to -0.2). </br> </br>ICU stay and total hospitalization lengths were shorter in patients with higher baseline GCS scores compared to patients with lower baseline GCS scores. The results are illustrated graphically (Fig. 2., 3.).
Keywords: mechanical ventilation; multi-organ trauma; tracheotomy.