Early Versus Late Tracheostomy for Patients with High and Low Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of early versus late tracheostomies among patients with cervical spinal cord injuries (CSCIs).

Methods: This retrospective study included 69 adult CSCI patients who underwent bedside percutaneous tracheostomies at the Intensive Care Unit of Khoula Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between January 2011 and October 2015. The tracheostomy was considered early if the procedure took place within one week of the CSCI.