A comparative analysis of endotracheal intubation in neonates, children and adults: Complications, prevention and treatment
Authors: Freeman Gordon R. 
Published: August 2006

The use of endotracheal tube to provide a prolonged airway and as an adjunct to artificial ventilation continues to be a controversial subject. With this controversy in mind, a six‐year survey was undertaken in utilizing three private hospitals to evaluate the number of patients requiring prolonged endotracheal intubation, their incidence of complication, and particularly to record the diagnosis for which this form of artificial airway was required. At the same time, primary and secondary tracheostomies were evaluated as to mortality, morbidity, and complications.

There were 205 premature and newborns evaluated, with 108 of these neonates requiring endotracheal intubation for 48 hours or longer. The average duration was five and one‐half days. There were 26 survivors of 108 infants with one serious complication, or an incidence of 4 percent. The incidence of mortality and morbidity for tracheostomy in the neonate is much higher than that of endotracheal intubation and intubation should be the method of choice.

Over 500 children requiring intensive care were evaluated. Of these, 64 cases required endotracheal intubation of 24 hours or longer with 43 survivors. There was one death with a mortality of 1.4 percent. In evaluating the diagnoses requiring endotracheal intubation, it is statistically significant that those patients other than post‐surgical or medically clean had an incidence of complication of 23 percent.

There were over 1,200 adult patients who required some form of artificial ventilation with 454 requiring endotracheal intubation of 24 hours duration or longer. The average duration was 61 hours. Immediate and minor complications, such as cord granulomas, lacerations, laryngeal edema, etc., were not included. There were 11 adult complications which could be classified as serious with stenotic changes of the larynx or trachea. This gives an overall incidence of complication of 2.4 percent with no mortality. These statistics are better than those for tracheostomy; however, the severely anoxic, toxic, or infected patient was the one which had a significant incidence of complications. The suicide patient had an incidence of 17.5 percent, patients with pulmonary infection 12.3 percent, and the stroke patient, 5.6 percent.

A comparative study of tracheostomies continues to indicate that there is a higher incidence of mortality and early complications in tracheostomy than endotracheal intubation; however, both endotracheal intubation and secondary tracheostomies following prolonged intubation show a much higher incidence of delayed complications. Treatment should be one of prevention with the proper choice of tube and cuff, more than just adequate nursing care with definite proper follow‐up of those patients who have had prolonged intubation. Frequent use of endoscopy and indirect laryngoscopy in these patients is mandatory for early treatment of delayed complications. Once these complications have manifested themselves, then treatment should follow the course as prescribed by the various authors finding success in the treatment of these lesions.