Complications of Artificial Airways

Park, Kwang Won; Kang, Jeong Wan; Chung, Kyung Suk; Ko, Shin Ok

Abstract

Artificial airways have been widely used to keep patency of airway and apply respiratiory care, however those airways may cause frequent and severe complications. Many etiologic factors have been implicated in the development of these problems with the exact reasons being as yet unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence, evolution and long-thrm effects of complications following artificial airways and to evaluate the effect of complications following artificial airways and to evaluate the effect of factors in the genesis of those complications. 332 consecutive patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit in Shinchon Severance Hospital over a 6-month period from March to August, 1990 were studied who had been intubated or tracheostomied. 1) Complications following artificial airways occurred in 58 patients among 332 patients and the rate of complication was 17.5% and the total number of complication was 63 cases. 2) There was no significant relationship between the rate of complications and patient's demographic factors, such as age and sex. 3) There was statistic significance between the rate of complications and factors such as frequencies of intubation and drugs used for intubation such as sedatives and muscle relaxants. 4) As frequency of intubation increased once, the rate of complication increased about twice. 5) The rate of complications in the patients without sedatives and muscle relaxants at intubation was 2.34 times greater than in those administered either medications.