• Yan Wang, Haijiang Lu, Haijun Teng, Guanxing Cui, Dehong Fan, and Min Li.
• Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Weifang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Weifang, Shandong, China.
• J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2020 Sep 1; 30 (9): 956-960.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of early tracheotomy versus delayed tracheotomy for patients with cervical spinal cord injury.Study DesignA descriptive study.Place And Duration Of StudyDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, The 80th Army Hospital of PLA, Weifang, Shandong, China, from January 2012 to June 2019.MethodologyData of 45 patients with cervical spinal cord injury, who underwent tracheotomy and cervical spine internal fixation at the study place, were retrospectively analysed. Twenty-five patients underwent tracheotomy immediately after cervical spine internal fixation (early tracheotomy group) and 20 patients underwent tracheotomy 3-12 days after cervical spine internal fixation (delayed tracheotomy group). Clinical outcomes and tracheotomy complications were compared between the two groups.ResultsCompared with the delayed tracheotomy, the early tracheotomy significantly reduced the total duration of mechanical ventilation (p <0.01), duration of mechanical ventilation after tracheotomy (p <0.05), duration of indwelling tracheal tube (p <0.05), and hospital stay (p <0.01). There were no significant differences in pneumonia, mortality, and complications related to tracheotomy between the groups. No incision infection for tracheotomy and cervical spine internal fixation were found in all patients.ConclusionCompared with delayed tracheotomy, early tracheotomy can significantly reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation, duration of indwelling tracheal tube, and hospital stay. Early tracheotomy did not increase the risk of infection of the cervical spine internal fixation. Therefore, early tracheotomy was beneficial and safe for patients. Key Words: Spinal cord injuries, Tracheotomy, Complications.

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