Tracheostomy in Patients With COVID-19: A Single-center Experience.

Obata, Kazufumi; Miyata, Ryo; Yamamoto, Keisuke; Byn-Ya, Naofumi; Kasai, Takehiko; Inoue, Hiroyuki; Narimatsu, Eichi; Takano, Kenichi

BACKGROUND/AIM Tracheostomy performed on patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may lead to the infection of operators and medical staff. To date, there are no established methods of infection control. The aim of this study was to provide helpful and useful information regarding tracheostomy during the COVID-19 pandemic. PATIENTS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis on 12 patients with severe COVID-19 who were intubated and underwent tracheostomy in our hospital. RESULTS Percutaneous tracheostomy was performed in eight cases, and open tracheostomy was performed in four cases. Open tracheostomy in the operating room was performed under a negative pressure closed-space system using a surgical drape to prevent aerosolization. CONCLUSION Our experience suggests that bedside percutaneous tracheostomy may be a useful option in patients with COVID-19. In cases where percutaneous tracheostomy is anticipated to be difficult, open tracheostomy using a negative pressure closure may be useful in preventing aerosolization and reducing the risk of infection of healthcare workers.