Laryngeal air column width ratio in predicting post extubation stridor.

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Respiratory Medicine
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Postextubation stridor is a significant complication following mechanical ventilation.
• Predictive markers for postextubation stridor are crucial for patient management.
• Airway narrowing can contribute to the development of stridor.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between the upper airway air column width ratio and the occurrence of postextubation stridor.
• To evaluate the utility of the upper airway air column width ratio as a predictive marker for postextubation stridor.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary hospital.
• Seventy-two patients requiring mechanical ventilation for >24 hours were included.
• The upper airway air column width ratio (pre-extubation/post-intubation) was calculated and compared between patients with and without stridor.

Main Results:

• The incidence of postextubation stridor was 6.9% (5/72 patients).
• Patients who developed stridor had a longer duration of mechanical ventilation (5.60 ± 1.14 days) compared to those without stridor (3.91 ± 1.45 days).
• All patients experiencing stridor had an upper airway air column width ratio of 0.8 or less.

Conclusions:

• An upper airway air column width ratio of 0.8 or less may serve as a helpful predictor of postextubation stridor.
• Further large-scale observational studies are warranted to confirm these findings.