Incidence of Mechanical Ventilation Adverse Events in Critically Ill Children in a Tertiary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Despite the clinical use of mechanical ventilation having well-documented benefits, it can be associated with complications and adverse physiological effects that can impact mortality rates. There are few studies that examine complications associated with mechanical ventilation in children and the factors associated with complications in detail. This study aimed to investigate adverse events associated with mechanical ventilation in pediatric patients and to compare the epidemiology of complications associated with mechanical ventilation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The medical records of patients in a tertiary care pediatric intensive care unit who were mechanically ventilated between January 1, 2013, and July 31, 2017, were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 187 patients were included in the study, 105 boys (56.1%) and 82 girls (43.9%), and 45 (24.1%) patients experienced complications. The total number of mechanical ventilation days was 1100. Atelectasis (12.3%), post-extubation stridor (8.5%), ventilator-associated pneumonia (5.4%), and pneumothorax (5.4%) were most commonly observed complications. CONCLUSION: Complications of mechanical ventilation in the pediatric population still occur frequently. In this study, the incidence of atelectasis was high, and also, incidences of ventilator-associated pneumonia and pneumothorax were low.