A baseline Study of extubation events occurring at the intensive care unit of the Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

Background: Extubation, or the removal of an endotracheal tube from the airway, is ideally planned and executed once an intubated patient is able to maintain adequate respiratory effort and a patent airway. However unplanned extubations do occur in intensive care units either accidentally. during manipulation of the patient, or as self extubation by the intubated patient and put the patient at increase risk of respiratory failure and reintubation. Planned extubations may also result in extubation failure and reintubation. Objective: To study extubation events occurring in a population of intubated patients in KNH ICU. The primary end points of the study were: I. The establishment of the incidence of planned and unplanned extubations occurring in orally intubated lCU patients in KNH and the resultant success and failure rates experienced with these modes of extubanon. 2. The establ ishment of the complications experienced after extubation. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was proposed. It was carried out in the KNH ICU. The study population consisted of orally intubated patients who consented to be included in the study. These patients were prospectively observed for an extubation event and followed up for a period of up to 72 hrs after, the extubation event occurred. Data collection was done using a survey tool and performed by recruited research assistants. Data collected will included patient demographic data, details describing the extubation event in terms of time, place and mode of occurrence, as well as associated adverse events. The occurrence of extubation failure within the 72 hour follow- up period was also documented in the same tool. Data analysis: Resulting demographic and clinical data was collated, sorted, entered into the computer, analysed and interpreted with a view to fulfilling the aforementioned objectives.