• Constance S Harrell Shreckengost, Limeng Wan, Alexandra W Reitz, Alice Lin, Rohan K Dhamsania, Julia Spychalski, J Miller Douglas, Andrea Lane, Dina Amin, Steven Roser, David Berkowitz, Jorge Esteban Foianini, Renée Moore, Jithin K Sreedharan, Abesh Niroula, Randi Smith, Onkar V Khullar, and PTS-COVIDTrach Collaborative.
• Constance S. Harrell Shreckengost is a resident physician, Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
• Am. J. Crit. Care. 2023 Jan 1; 32 (1): 9209-20.

BackgroundHealth care professionals (HCPs) performing tracheostomies in patients with COVID-19 may be at increased risk of infection.ObjectiveTo evaluate factors underlying HCPs' COVID-19 infection and determine whether tracheostomy providers report increased rates of infection.MethodsAn anonymous international survey examining factors associated with COVID-19 infection was made available November 2020 through July 2021 to HCPs at a convenience sample of hospitals, universities, and professional organizations. Infections reported were compared between HCPs involved in tracheostomy on patients with COVID-19 and HCPs who were not involved.ResultsOf the 361 respondents (from 33 countries), 50% (n = 179) had performed tracheostomies on patients with COVID-19. Performing tracheostomies on patients with COVID-19 was not associated with increased infection in either univariable (P = .06) or multivariable analysis (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% CI, 0.90-2.46; P = .13). Working in a low- or middle-income country (LMIC) was associated with increased infection in both univariable (P < .001) and multivariable analysis (odds ratio, 2.88; CI, 1.50-5.53; P = .001).ConclusionsPerforming tracheostomy was not associated with COVID-19 infection, suggesting that tracheostomies can be safely performed in infected patients with appropriate precautions. However, HCPs in LMICs may face increased infection risk.©2023 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

11 keywords...

hide…