Corticosteroids to prevent postextubation upper airway obstruction: the evidence mounts
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Correspondence: Scott K Epstein Scott.Epstein@tufts.edu
Tufts University School of Medicine, Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Harrison Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA
Critical Care 2007, 11:156 doi:10.1186/cc5976
Published: 14 August 2007Abstract
Intubation of the airway can lead to laryngotracheal injury, resulting in extubation failure from upper airway obstruction (UAO). A number of factors can help to identify patients who are at greatest risk for postextubation UAO. Three randomized controlled trials demonstrate that prophylactic corticosteroids decrease the risk for postextubation UAO and probably the need for re-intubation.