Urgent tracheal intubation in general hospital units: an observational study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of complications and outcomes of urgent intubations in general hospital units.


METHODS
Prospective, observational, cohort study.


METHODS
University-affiliated hospital.


METHODS
150 patients who underwent tracheal intubation in the general care units.


METHODS
A standardized data collection form was used prospectively to record events at the time of intubation. Patient outcomes were extracted from the medical record.


RESULTS
The complication rate was 27%. The most common complications were multiple attempts (9% required>2 intubations) and esophageal intubation (9%). The complication rate for elective intubation (22%) was similar to the complication rate for emergent intubations (27%). Of patients intubated in the general care units, 52% survived and 33% of these were discharged. There was no significant difference (P=0.46) in survival between the patients intubated electively (59%) and emergently (50%). There was no significant difference (P=0.63) in survival between patients with (48%) and without complications (54%).


CONCLUSIONS
Endotracheal intubation in general hospital units carries a high rate of complications, and patients who are intubated in general hospital units have a high mortality.
Benedetto
William J
WJ
Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Hess
Dean R
DR
Gettings
Elise
E
Bigatello
Luca M
LM
Toon
Hannah
H
Hurford
William E
WE
Schmidt
Ulrich
U
D000368:Aged; D001900:Boston; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis