• N Glibbery, K Karamali, C Walker, I Fitzgerald O'Connor, B Fish, and E Irune.
• Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
• J Laryngol Otol. 2020 Aug 1; 134 (8): 688-695.

ObjectivesTo report feasibility, early outcomes and challenges of implementing a 14-day threshold for undertaking surgical tracheostomy in the critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 patient.MethodsTwenty-eight coronavirus disease 2019 patients underwent tracheostomy. Demographics, risk factors, ventilatory assistance, organ support and logistics were assessed.ResultsThe mean time from intubation to tracheostomy formation was 17.0 days (standard deviation = 4.4, range 8-26 days). Mean time to decannulation was 15.8 days (standard deviation = 9.4) and mean time to intensive care unit stepdown to a ward was 19.2 days (standard deviation = 6.8). The time from intubation to tracheostomy was strongly positively correlated with: duration of mechanical ventilation (r(23) = 0.66; p < 0.001), time from intubation to decannulation (r(23) = 0.66; p < 0.001) and time from intubation to intensive care unit discharge (r(23) = 0.71; p < 0.001).ConclusionPerforming a tracheostomy in coronavirus disease 2019 positive patients at 8-14 days following intubation is compatible with favourable outcomes. Multidisciplinary team input is crucial to patient selection.

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