Clinical Outcome Following Early Decannulation of Severe Acquired Brain Injury Patients

Clinical Outcome Following Early Decannulation of Severe Acquired Brain Injury Patients: a Retrospective Cohort Study

After severe acquired brain injury (SABI: severe traumatic brain injury, stroke, anoxic brain damage), up to 50-70% of patients are tracheostomized. The need to tracheostomize a patient is based on the prolonged inability to breathe and/or protect their airway sufficiently. This is usually done in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). A tracheostomy is first removed when the patient's clinical conditions allow for it. The removal can be performed in many settings, a neurological rehabilitation unit being one of these.

The overall objective of this study is to evaluate the safety of this earlier decannulation procedure in patients with SABI at our department as well as the effectiveness on functional ability.

Inclusion Criteria:

All severe acquired brain injury patients ≥ 18 years with a tracheal tube at admission.

Exclusion Criteria:

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