“A Systematic Review on Guidelines and Recommendations for Tracheostomy During COVID-19 Pandemic”

Abstract

World is under threat of COVID-19 pandemic, associated with many numbers of critically ill patients. To manage these intubated patients there are need of more ventilators but world is not prepared for this type of situation and there are lacunae of such arrangements in most of the countries. As we know patients cannot be intubated for long time and they should be given preference to alternative airway in the form of tracheostomy. COVID-19 is aerosol transmitted disease which lead to indeed challenge to health care providers to safely perform tracheostomy and provide post tracheostomy care to these patients with minimising risks of nosocomial transmission to themselves and accompanying nursing staff. There are so many guidelines and recommendations for the timing, desired place of tracheostomy, change in tracheostomy steps related to conventional method and the subsequent management of patients. So, the aim of this systematic review is to give a brief review of available data on COVID-19 related to the timing, personal protections, operative steps modifications, and subsequent post tracheostomy care during this pandemic.