2017 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 18-22
Background: Effective subglottic secretion drainage (SSD) has been reported to reduce incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The objective of the study is to assess the efficiency of SSD under various conditions. Methods: 56 patients with endotracheal tube placement participated in the study. We assessed the efficiency of SSD by the incidence of successful secretion removal at random occasions. We analyzed the impact of their age, gender, BMI, posture, cough reflex, consciousness, airway pressure, the route of intubation, ICU length of stay, and pneumonia on the efficacy using multivariable logistic regression. Results: The odds ratio of successful SSD between patients with tracheostomy and oral intubation was 5.23 (95% C.I., 0.86-31.96). Conclusion: The route of intubation (tracheostomy or oral) was the only parameter that affected the efficacy of SSD with significance. The results supported early tracheostomy from a perspective of VAP prevention, but further investigation is required to decide the optimal timing.
