DH Stroke ICU

[KingJanie]

Please help me.

My Dh is in icu following a stroke during Neurosurgery.
He initially seemed not too bad but then developed sepsis pneumonia and was put on a ventilator.

He's now off sedation and breathing himself but they don't want to remove the tube as they suspect swallowing difficulties.
They are talking about putting a Tracheotomy in.

I'm reading conflicting opinions on this. Some say it raises the risk of more swallowing issues and pneumonia others say it alllows more time for swallowing therapy and rehabilitation so better outcomes.
Does anyone have experience of this?

Yes swallowing will come l have asthma and had a suspected tir which is a small stroke in the brain followed by sepsis.l posted before but that was my dad . I had a tracheotomy for 5 days so l could breath . They sorted the sepsis and after 5 days removed it and it healed a treat, please don't panic they know what they are at and following recovery they will sort out the stroke in dear hubby l am ken near oxford l don't smoke and not had cancer l have fully recovered and had the sepsis about 4 years ago ah l am 82 and in good health hold your nerve l feel all will be well l am on mums net as my wife was on it and she passed away in feb with dimentia l can't shut her phone down yet . Stay strong l am so sorry for you he is doing well all will come right . My area of the op has gone completely as well ken

It's all overwhelming @KingJanie . Just a few days ago everything was normal. In terms of priorities, 'A' is for 'Airway'. It comes first in any assessment of a patient's health. If you don't have an airway, you die. It doesn't matter how well your lungs work - to stay alive, there has to be a way of shifting oxygen in and carbon dioxide out.

The secretions are building up because your DH can't swallow them. The secretions then block his airway. That can't be allowed. It would at best lead to repeated episodes of oxygen deprivation and consequent brain damage, and at worst cause death.

So for now, the tracheostomy is his safety net. It will allow safe rehabilitation. Whether your DH will be able to swallow again will depend on why he can't currently swallow.

Thank you all.

I understand he needs the trachy and that is going to happen.

I also understand that his swallow will depend on the stroke and can't be predicted.

I guess I'm just hoping for reassurance that there is a possibility of rehabilitation and him being able to eat in the future.

I am sorry you lost your wife 💐
Thank you for your kind words.

That's ok but l pray hubby will be OK you have my thoughts and prayers at this time for a full recovery ken