Patients with COVID-19 who survive the early days of MV experience severe and prolonged respiratory failure. An early modified percutaneous dilational tracheostomy (PDT) was safe for patients and healthcare providers and associated with improved clinical outcomes.

Required time for discontinuation off mechanical ventilation, total length of hospitalization, and overall patient survival.

Of the 541 patients, 394 patients were eligible for a tracheostomy.

116 were early percutaneous dilational tracheostomies with median time of 9 days after initiation of mechanical ventilation, whereas 89 were late percutaneous dilational tracheostomies with a median time of 19 days after initiation of mechanical ventilation.

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