Early tracheotomy for patients with severe craniocerebral injury

Objective:To study the effect of early tracheotomy in severe craniocerebral injury patients on preventing and treating pulmonary infection.Methods: Fifty-seven patients were divided randomly into treatment group(tracheostomizing at once,n=30) and control group(tracheostomizing after pulmonary infection,n=27).Conventional respiratory tract management was performed after tracheotomies in all patients.Results: Pulmonary infection was found in 12 of 30(40.0%) patients in treatment group and in 26 of 27(96.3%) patients in control group(P0.01).Pulmonary infection was controlled in 10 of 12(83.3%) patients of treatment group within 5-10 days(mean,7 days) and in 9 of 26(34.6%) patients of control group within 11-20 days(mean,17.5 days)(P0.01).Conclusion: Early tracheotomy can effectively prevent and treat the pulmonary infection in patients with severe craniocerebral injuries.