The clinical application of an innovative tracheotomy fixation belt in critically ill patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Tracheotomy is one of the first-aid measures for rescuing critically ill patients. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to observe the clinical effect of using an innovative tracheotomy fixation belt in critically ill patients and to explore the feasibility of using this fixation method. METHODS: Eighty critically ill patients requiring a tracheotomy in Putuo District Central Hospital of Shanghai were enrolled in this study and divided into the observation group and control group (n= 40, each). In the control group, fixation was performed with conventional cotton twill tape, while in the observation group the fixation was carried out using a tracheotomy fixation belt. The differences in neck skin injury, the occurrence of eczema, and the rate of detachment of the tracheotomy tube in the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The rate of neck skin injury was 7.5% lower in the observation group than in the control group (30%), and the difference was statistically significant (p< 0.05). The incidence of skin eczema was 5% lower in the observation group than in the control group (22.5%), and the difference was statistically significant (p< 0.05). The detachment rate of the tracheotomy tube was 5% lower in the observation group than in the control group (20%), and the difference was statistically significant (p< 0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of an innovative tracheotomy fixation belt can effectively reduce skin damage to the patient’s neck, the incidence of eczema, and the incidence of detachment of the tracheotomy tube.