Effect of Early Versus Late Tracheostomy or Prolonged Intubation in Critically Ill Patients with Acute Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The optimal timing of tracheostomy placement in acutely brain-injured patients, who generally require endotracheal intubation for airway protection rather than respiratory failure, remains uncertain. We systematically reviewed trials comparing early tracheostomy to late tracheostomy or prolonged intubation in these patients. We searched 5 databases (from inception to April 2015) to identify randomized controlled trials comparing early...