Influencia de la traqueostomía en el proceso de destete

Introduction: the performing of tracheostomy before 10 days in critically ill patients with prolonged intubation significantly reduces the time of connection to mechanical ventilation and stay in the Intensive Care Unit; according to the Cuban experience it is advisable to carry it out early, especially in patients with traumatic brain injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or complications of the endotracheal tube (such as laryngeal stridor); however, complications related to failure in weaning require adequate solutions. Objective: to determine the influence of early and late tracheostomies in the weaning process of critical patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation. Method: a descriptive observational study was carried out at the Intensive Care Unit of the Provincial General Teaching Hospital "Dr. Antonio Luaces Iraola" from July 2014 to July 2015. The universe encompassed all patients admitted with mechanical ventilation, among whom a sample of 34 were selected, divided into two groups: one with early tracheostomy and one with late. Results: the majority of the patients were female of white skin. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of ventilation time and length of stay in the Intensive Care Unit, but there were fewer complications and weaning failures among patients with early tracheostomy. Conclusions: early tracheostomy in patients submitted to invasive mechanical ventilation has a lower rate of complications and the weaning process is less exposed to failures compared to late tracheostomy.