Relationship between gastric tube retention and swallowing dysfunction in comatose patients undergoing tracheotomy

To investigate the relationship between gastric tube retention and swallowing dysfunction in comatose patients undergoing tracheotomy.

A retrospective study was conducted on 116 patients who underwent tracheotomy at our hospital between January 2023 and March 2025. According to the presence or absence of swallowing dysfunction, patients were divided into a swallowing dysfunction group and a non-swallowing dysfunction group. Baseline characteristics, clinical data, and scale evaluation results of included patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the relationship between gastric tube retention time and swallowing dysfunction was assessed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors influencing swallowing dysfunction.

The incidence of swallowing dysfunction in comatose patients undergoing tracheotomy was 24.14%. Correlation analysis demonstrated a strong correlation between the duration of gastric tube retention after tracheotomy and swallowing dysfunction (P<0.05). Univariate analysis indicated that age >75 years, smoking, alcohol consumption, history of aspiration and lung infection, use of anti-infective drugs, gastric tube retention time after tracheotomy, coma duration >1 week, mechanical ventilation duration >1 week, absence of swallowing drainage, ICU-acquired weakness, and nutritional risk score ≥3 points were significantly associated with swallowing dysfunction (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified age >75 years, smoking, alcohol consumption, history of aspiration and pulmonary infection, gastric tube retention duration >4 weeks after tracheotomy, coma duration >1 week, and nutritional risk score ≥3 points as independent risk factors for swallowing dysfunction in comatose tracheotomy patients (all P<0.05).

Swallowing dysfunction in comatose patients after tracheotomy is associated with the duration of gastric tube retention. Independent risk factors include advanced age, prolonged coma, extended gastric tube retention, and poor nutritional status.