High-Flow Nasal Cannula Versus Conventional Therapy After Slide Tracheoplasty.

BACKGROUND

Few studies have focused on the respiratory management after slide tracheoplasty. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) compared with conventional therapy in preventing reintubation after slide tracheoplasty.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study conducted at a single center, the Department of Pediatric Surgery. The medical records of 68 patients who had undergone slide tracheoplasty for congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS) before the age of 2 years from February 2012 to September 2021 were included. Patients were divided into group C (conventional therapy) or H (HFNC therapy), based on whether conventional oxygen therapy and positive pressure ventilation or HFNC was used after withdrawal from the ventilator, respectively.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the postoperative reintubation rate and ventilator dependency between groups C and H. There were no HFNC complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of postoperative HFNC is not inferior to noninvasive ventilation in terms of therapeutic efficacy. HFNC can be used without complications for a limited time after extubation.