TRACMAN

2013 Airway
70 ICUs
909 patients

Early (w/i 4d) vs late (> 10d) tracheostomy - resp pt only

Clinical Question

In mechanically ventilated adult patients with a high risk of prolonged ventilation, does early tracheostomy compared with late tracheostomy reduce mortality at 30 days?

Critical Appraisal

Key findings

No benefit early over delayed (mort, MV, LOS). >50% no longer indicated after D10

Weaknesses

Exclusion criteria broad

Critique

Did not include patients requiring tracheostomy for non-respiratory reasons, such as neurological disease

Population
Adult ICU Patients
Population Details
Risk of prolonged ventilation
Intervention Arms

Early
Tracheostomy within 4 days

Control Arms

Late
Tracheostomy day 10 or later

Primary Outcome
30 day mortality
Secondary Outcomes
More tracheostomies
P Value
0.89

Outcome Results

Not recorded