
The preferential treatment of postextubation laryngeal edema consists of intravenous or nebulized corticosteroids combined with nebulized epinephrine, although no data on the optimal treatment algorithm are available. In the presence of respiratory failure, reintubation should be performed without delay.
What is the best treatment for postextubation laryngeal edema?
Abstract. The preferential treatment of postextubation laryngeal edema consists of intravenous or nebulized corticosteroids combined with nebulized epinephrine, although no data on the optimal treatment algorithm are available. In the presence of respiratory failure, reintubation should be performed without delay.
What is post extubation laryngeal edema?
The edema results in a decreased size of the laryngeal lumen, which may present as stridor or respiratory distress (or both) following extubation. Ultimately, postextubation laryngeal edema (PLE) may lead to respiratory failure with subsequent need for reintubation.
Do steroids help with laryngeal edema?
Early animal studies showed that administration of steroids reduces laryngeal edema and can prevent post-extubation laryngeal edema [39, 40]. Corticosteroid administration before extubation is part of the extubation protocol in some centers [4, 7, 41].
Should tracheostomy be used to prevent extubation failure due to laryngeal edema?
There are no data at hand that support the use of tracheostomy as a preventive procedure in patients at risk of extubation failure due to laryngeal edema, but the procedure could be considered in selected cases. Maintaining the airway, adequate oxygenation and relieving distress associated with obstruction are primary treatment goals.

What medication is typically prescribed to prevent post-extubation stridor and edema?
Dexamethasone, a long-acting and potent corticosteroid, is suitable for preventing postextubation airway edema. Administration of multiple prophylactic doses of dexamethasone significantly decreases the incidence of postextubation stridor in adult patients at high risk to develop airway obstruction.
What is post-extubation laryngeal edema?
Laryngeal edema is a frequent complication of intubation. It often presents shortly after extubation as post-extubation stridor and results from damage to the mucosa of the larynx. Mucosal damage is caused by pressure and ischemia resulting in an inflammatory response.
How is stridor treated after extubation?
Management of post-extubation stridorBest to give steroids 12-24 hours prior to the extubation attempt (trials of single-dose regimens given one hour prior to extubation did not show any benefit)20mg Methylprednisolone as 3 4-hourly doses is an appropriate choice, following François et al (2007)More items...•
What is the most common complication after extubation?
The most feared complications of extubation are the failure and immediate need for re-intubation and post-extubation stridor. Extubation failure and need to be re-intubated within 72 hours, is noted in 12 to 14% of planned extubations. Risk factors for reintubation include a weak cough and frequent suctioning.
How long does it take for swelling to go down after intubation?
Usually, the laryngeal inflammation and swelling usually resolve in one or two days after extubation.
What is the treatment for stridor?
Doctors may recommend surgery to open the airway and fix the source of the noisy breathing. Our experts use minimally invasive endoscopic surgical techniques whenever possible. Surgical techniques such as airway dilation may be used to eliminate stridor in adults.
What is post-extubation stridor?
Post-extubation stridor is the presence inspiratory noise post-extubation indicated narrowing of the airway (can be supraglottic, but usually glottic and infraglottic) ETT can cause laryngeal oedema and ulceration as well as at the site where the cuff abuts the trachea.
Do steroids help stridor?
The present meta-analysis suggests a beneficial effect of steroids to prevent post-extubation stridor and reintubation was observed in the subgroup of patients with a high risk of developing post-extubation stridor, as identified by the cuff-leak test, and that steroid treatment before a planned extubation decreases ...
What is laryngeal stridor?
Laryngomalacia (LAYR inn go mah LAY shah) is also called laryngeal stridor. It results from a weakness of parts of the voice box (larynx) that is present at birth. This condition can cause a high-pitched sound called stridor (STRI der). You may hear this sound when your child breathes in.
What should I monitor after extubation?
Suction equipment is necessary for immediately before and immediately after extubation. The patient should be monitored with electrocardiography to observe the heart rate and rhythm and with pulse oximetry to monitor oxygen saturation.
What is a good Rsbi for extubation?
Introduction. The rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) is the ratio determined by the frequency (f) divided by the tidal volume (VT). An RSBI <105 has been widely accepted by healthcare professionals as a criteria for weaning to extubation and has been integrated into most mechanical ventilation weaning protocols.
What is extubation failure?
Extubation failure is defined as inability to sustain spontaneous breathing after removal of the artificial airway; an endotracheal tube or tracheostomy tube; and need for reintubation within a specified time period: either within 24-72 h[1,2] or up to 7 days.
What is the complication of intubation?
Laryngeal edema is a frequent complication of intubation. It often presents shortly after extubation as post-extubation stridor and results from damage to the mucosa of the larynx. Mucosal damage is caused by pressure and ischemia resulting in an inflammatory response. Laryngeal edema may compromise the airway necessitating reintubation.
Is laryngeal edema a clinical diagnosis?
Laryngeal edema therefore remains largely a clinical diagnosis. Although post-extubation laryngeal edema is described as the development of airway obstruction after extubation, neither a widely accepted definition for laryngeal edema nor a frequently used classification of severity is currently available.
Do corticosteroids help with laryngeal edema?
Early animal studies showed that administration of steroids reduces laryngeal edema and can prevent post-extubation larynge al edema [39,40].
What is the treatment for postextubation laryngeal edema?
The preferential treatment of postextubation laryngeal edema consists of intravenous or nebulized corticosteroids combined with nebulized epinephrine, although no data on the optimal treatment algorithm are available. In the presence of respiratory failure, reintubation should be performed without delay.
What is PLE in intubation?
Ultimately, postextubation laryngeal edema (PLE) may lead to respiratory failure with subsequent need for reintubation. Since reintubation is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, it is important to prevent reintubation if possible [ 3 ]. Recent studies have focused on several methods to assess airway patency before extubation, aiming to identify patients at risk for PLE. This may enable timely and targeted treatment of patients at risk for postextubation respiratory failure (PRF). This review provides an update on this topic, focusing on these recent developments [ 4 ].
What test is used to determine if a patient has PLE?
In an effort to allow identification of patients at risk for PLE, several tests have been evaluated for the assessment of airway patency before extubation, including the cuff leak test (CLT), ultrasonography, and video laryngoscopy.
Can laryngeal edema cause respiratory failure?
Ultimately, postextubation laryngeal edema may result in respiratory failure with subsequent reintubation. Risk factors for postextubation laryngeal edema include female gender, large tube size, and prolonged intubation. Although patients at low risk for postextubation respiratory insufficiency due to laryngeal edema can be identified by ...
Can a cuff leak test be used to identify high risk patients?
Although patients at low risk for postextubation respiratory insufficiency due to laryngeal edema can be identified by the cuff leak test or laryngeal ultrasound, no reliable test for the identification of high-risk patients is currently available.
Can NIV be used for PRF?
More than that, NIV for PRF has been associated with increased mortality, probably due to the increased delay to intubation [ 43 ]. Therefore, the use of NIV for PRF failure cannot be recommended.
