Laryngeal mask airway versus endotracheal tube during percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy in critically ill adult patients

Abstract Background One of the most often used bedside surgical techniques in critical care units (ICUs) for critically ill individuals who need prolonged mechanical ventilation is percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT). Numerous difficulties may arise from puncturing the esophagus or making a false passage during surgery. Objectives To compare the use of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) and endotracheal tube (ETT) during PDT guided by ultrasonography (US) or bronchoscopy. Methods Our study was a prospective cohort of 120 patients admitted to the Critical Care Department at Kasr Alainy Hospital and Damanhur Medical National Institute between March 2020 and November 2021. Hemodynamics, arterial blood gasses, complications, and outcomes of the patients were recorded. Results The studied patients were divided into the ETT and LMA groups (60 patients in each group). Then, each group was subdivided into two subgroups (ETT-US, ETT-Bronch, LMA-US, and LMA-Bronch; 30 patients in each subgroup) according to the guiding procedure used for puncturing the trachea: US-guided or bronchoscopy-guided. Regarding HR, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups or four subgroups before, during, and after the procedure. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference between the two studied groups regarding MAP before the procedure. However, during and after the procedure, MAP was significantly higher in the ETT group. There was no discernible change in oxygen saturation or PaO2 before, during, or after the procedure. However, there was no discernible difference in PaCO2 levels before and after the procedure; it was much greater in the ETT group and ETT-Bronch subgroup during the process. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant variation in the number of punctures between the two groups or the four subgroups. The length of the process varied significantly across the two major groups and the four evaluated subgroups. The LMA group had the shortest procedure duration (5.05 ± 1.28 min), the LMA-Bronch subgroup (4.79 ± 1.42 min), and the LMA-US subgroup (5.31 ± 1.10 min), while the ETT had the longest procedure duration group (5.86 ± 1.11 min), the ETT-Bronch subgroup (6.09 ± 1.23 min), and ETT-US (5.63 ± 0.94 min). Regarding complications, there was no considerable difference between the two groups or four subgroups except aerophagia. Aerophagia was considerably more common in the LMA group (7 candidates) and was not observed in the ETT group. Conclusions Our study concluded that the laryngeal mask airway improves ventilation during percutaneous dilatation tracheostomy, especially when used with ultrasound, and thus can be used for candidates with traumatic brain injury and brain edema.