Continuous humidification enhances postoperative recovery in laryngeal cancer patients undergoing tracheotomy

To investigate the effects of perioperative continuous humidification on patients with laryngeal cancer undergoing tracheotomy.

Eighty patients with laryngeal cancer underwent tracheotomy in our hospital were selected as the subjects and divided into the observation group and the control group according to random table method. Patients in the control group were given routine tracheotomy care, including regular open endotracheal suction, tracheotomy nursing, oral care, dietary intervention, etc., while those in the observation group were given continuous airway humidification on the basis of the control group. The differences in sputum pH, viscosity, comfort, cough frequency, and respiratory ventilation were compared between the two groups at three postoperative time points. The incidence of complications such as pulmonary infection, bloody sputum and sputum crust, and the improvement of clinical symptoms were compared between the two groups.

The sputum pH of patients in the observation group was higher than that in the control group at the 4th and 7th postoperative days (P<0.001). The observation group showed significantly lower percentage of grade 3 viscous sputum and higher comfort scores than the control group at the 7th postoperative day (P=0.020, P<0.001). The observation group showed lower cough frequency and higher airway patency than the control group at the 4th and 7th postoperative days (P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.007).

Perioperative continuous airway humidification in patients with laryngeal cancer undergoing tracheotomy could reduce sputum consistency and cough frequency, improve comfort and respiratory patency of patients, and has positive significance in accelerating their postoperative rehabilitation.