Speech-language pathology assessment for tracheal decannulation in patients suffering from traumatic brain injury

To describe the effect of Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) management on the tracheal decannulation process in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Prospective controlled clinical study. Two groups of patients with TBI confirmed by computed axial tomography were included in the study group (G1) and control group (G2) composed of 30 individuals each, with 25 (83.3%) male and 5 (16.7%) female individuals in both groups. Patients' age ranged from 18 to 53 years old - mean age was 32 years. A SPL assessment tool was developed for tracheostomized patients with TBI, composed of investigation of awareness level, cognition and swallowing (annex 1) and conduct. G1 underwent the assessment proposed by the study, and G2 was assessed by retrospective analysis of medical records without SLP evaluation. In this population, the variables time with tracheostomy and total days of hospitalization were the measurement markers for the effect of SLP conduct with this instrument.

It was verified that G1 presented mean reduction of 4.2 days with tracheostomy and of 4.4 days in length of hospital stay when compared to G2. However, these figures are not statistically significant (p = 0.2031).

The group that was evaluated and received the SLP conduct proposed in the instrument presented a reduction in the time of permanence with tracheostomy, as well as in hospital stay.