Incidence of and risk factors for airway complications following endotracheal intubation for bronchiolitis.

Objective: To identify risk factors predisposing to postextubation complications and the incidence of subglottic stenosis following endotracheal intubation for bronchiolitis.

Study Design And Setting: A review of 144 consecutive infants and children intubated for bronchiolitis between 2000 and 2005 at a regional children's hospital.

Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 6.4 months. Follow-up data were available in 93 patients (64.6%), and average length of follow-up was 9.3 months. One hundred and three patients (71.5%) had positive RSV detection. Average duration of intubation was 5.5 days. Twenty-six patients (18.1%) required reintubation during the same admission. Children intubated for less than 3 days and those greater than 12 months of age were more likely to experience postextubation difficulties. Approximately 40% of patients experienced postextubation difficulties. Subglottic pathology was found on endoscopy in 6 patients (4%). There were no cases of long-term subglottic stenosis.

Conclusion: Immediate postextubation complications are common after bronchiolitis, especially in patients intubated for less than 3 days and greater than 12 months of age. We found no evidence of long-term subglottic stenosis in this population.