Tracheostomy decannulation methods and procedures in adults: a systematic scoping review protocol.

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Respiratory Therapy
• Surgical Procedures

Background:

• The number of tracheostomy procedures is increasing due to advances in critical care.
• Tracheostomies, while beneficial, are associated with adverse health complications and reduced quality of life.
• Timely and safe tracheostomy decannulation (TD) is essential, yet no universal standard of care exists for adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically map the existing literature on the tracheostomy decannulation process.
• To identify knowledge gaps in current research and practice regarding TD.
• To inform future research directions for optimizing TD procedures and patient care.

Main Methods:

• A systematic scoping review utilizing multiple electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, etc.).
• Comprehensive search strategy including 'Cited by' and reference list searches.
• Rigorous screening of titles, abstracts, and full articles by two independent reviewers, data extraction, and thematic analysis using NVIVO.

Main Results:

• Anticipate identifying studies on evidence, preferences, and acceptability of various TD methods.
• Expect to uncover significant knowledge gaps in the current body of literature on TD.
• The review will provide a comprehensive overview of the TD process.

Conclusions:

• This systematic scoping review will elucidate the current state of knowledge regarding tracheostomy decannulation.
• Findings will highlight areas requiring further investigation to establish a standardized approach to TD.
• The study aims to contribute to the development of evidence-based guidelines for safe and effective tracheostomy decannulation.