Bench-to-bedside review: Early tracheostomy in critically ill trauma patients

Table 1 Complications of prolonged translaryngeal intubation

Complication	Rate (%)	Reference
Supraglottic laryngeal injury (ulceration, scarring, stenosis)
Laryngitis	3	[60]
Mucosal ulceration/edema of the epiglottis	7–12	[12]
Mucosal ulceration/edema of the larynx	29–51	[12]
Submucosal hemorrhage of epiglottis/larynx	5–12	[12]
Supraglottic laryngeal stenosis	12^a	[11]
Glottic injury
Glottic ulceration	51	[12]
Glottic scarring and stenosis	12–18^a	[11]
Bilateral vocal cord paralysis (rare)	Few reported cases	[60]
Posterior commissure syndrome	6	[11]
Subglottic injury
Subglottic stenosis/scarring	12^a	[11]
Tracheal injury
Tracheal stenosis (< 50% stenosis)	19	[12]
Tracheal dilatation/tracheomalacia	NA	NA
Tracheoesophageal fistula^b	0.5–5^a	[61]
Nasal and sinus injury
Nasal ulceration	3	[12]
Nasal bleeding	8	[12]
Sinusitis	90	[62-63]
Other complications
Inadequate oral nutrition	NA	NA
Ventilator associated pneumonia	5.8/1000 ventilator days	[64]
Risks of prolonged sedation	NA	NA

^aAfter 10 days of endotracheal intubation. ^b0.5–5% of all tracheoesophageal fistulas are caused by endotracheal intubation. NA, not available.

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