Predictive Factors for Successful Decannulation in Patients with Tracheostomies and Brain Injuries: A Systematic Review.

Neurological patients frequently have disorders of consciousness, swallowing disorders, or neurological states that are incompatible with extubation. Therefore, they frequently require tracheostomies during their stay in an intensive care unit. After the acute phase, tracheostomy weaning and decannulation are generally expected to promote rehabilitation.

A Pluridisciplinary Tracheostomy Weaning Protocol for Brain-Injured Patients, Outside of the Intensive Care Unit and Without Instrumental Assessment: Results of Pilot Study.

Concurrently to the recent development of percutaneous tracheostomy techniques in the intensive care unit (ICU), the amount of tracheostomized brain-injured patients has increased. Despites its advantages, tracheostomy may represent an obstacle to their orientation towards conventional hospitalization or rehabilitation services. To date, there is no recommendation for tracheostomy weaning outside of the ICU.

Expert Consensus on Clinical Decision Making in the Disease Trajectory of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Adults: An International Delphi Study.

To date, no consensus exists on the complex clinical decision-making processes involved in oropharyngeal dysphagia, or swallowing disorders. This study aimed to develop an international consensus on a clinical decision tree for the disease trajectory of oropharyngeal dysphagia in adults, taking into account physiological impairments of swallowing, risk factors for the development of complications from oropharyngeal dysphagia, and prognostic factors for treatment outcomes. Using the Delphi technique, consensus was achieved among dysphagia experts across 31 countries, resulting in a total of 10 physiological impairments, 23 risk factors and 21 prognostic factors identified as relevant factors in the clinical decision-making process.

European Survey: Dysphagia Management in Patients with Neuromuscular Diseases.

Dysphagia is common in patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs). Its management differs by country and clinical setting. The purpose of this study was to describe current practices in the management of dysphagia in NMDs across Europe.