Does a decannulation protocol exist in COVID-19 patients? The importance of working in a multiprofessional team

As a Covid Hub in Emilia Romagna, we have experienced an increasing number of tracheostomized patients, prompting us to develop a standardized decannulation protocol for COVID-19 ARDS patients. Currently, there are no guidelines or protocols for decannulation in this population, and few studies have investigated the early outcomes of tracheostomy in COVID-19 patients, with no detailed analysis of the decannulation process. We recognized the importance of mutual reliance among our team members and the significant achievements we made compared to previous decannulation methods. Through the optimization of the decannulation process, we identified a clear, safe, and repeatable method based on clinical best practice and literature evidence. We decided to implement an existing standardized decannulation protocol, which was originally designed for severe brain-damaged patients, due to the growing number of COVID-19 patients with tracheostomy. This protocol was designed for daily practice and aimed to provide a uniform approach to using devices like fenestrated cannulas, speaking valves, and capping. The results of our implementation include: expanding the applicability of the protocol beyond severe brain-damaged patients to different populations and settings (in this case, patients subjected to a long period of sedation and invasive ventilation); early activation of speech therapy to facilitate weaning from the cannula and recovery of physiological swallowing and phonation; early activation of otolaryngologist evaluation to identify organic problems related to prolonged intubation, tracheostomy, and ventilation and address proper speech therapy treatment; activation of more fluid and effective management paths for decannulation with a multiprofessional team.