Objectives/Hypothesis: To evaluate the incidence of lesions and severe sequelae and the risk factors for the development of laryngotracheal lesions after orotracheal intubation (OTI) in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients.Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we evaluated patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who were consecutively admitted to a tertiary hospital and required OTI from March 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020. Patients discharged were called for outpatient follow-up and endoscopic examination.Results: A total of 1,357 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, as confirmed by nasal swab reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, were admitted. OTI for mechanical ventilation was required in 421 patients (31%). Of the intubated patients, 172 (40.9%) were discharged and 249 (59.1%) died. Outpatient evaluation by videoendoscopy was performed in 95 patients (55.2%) approximately 100 days after extubation. Laryngotracheal lesions were observed in 38 patients (40%), with 17.9% diagnosed with laryngotracheal stenosis or unilateral immobility while 6.3% had severe stenosis (grades 3 and 4). The factors presenting statistical significance for the development of laryngotracheal lesions were the endotracheal tube (ETT) size; prone position over the OTI period; and the increased leukocyte count, D-dimer, prothrombin time (PT), and international normalized ratio (INR) on the day OTI was performed.Conclusions: The incidence of laryngotracheal lesion in COVID-19 patients is 40%, with 6.3% of them presenting with severe stenosis. There was a greater risk for the development of laryngotracheal lesions in patients using a larger ETT, kept in a prone position, presenting a greater inflammatory reaction (increased leukocyte count), or developing coagulation disorders (increased D-dimer, PT, and INR).

Objective To assess the incidence and the risk factors for the development of dysphagia in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) undergoing orotracheal intubation. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Methods In this prospective cohort study, we evaluated consecutive patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 and underwent orotracheal intubation were evaluated. During hospitalization, extubated patients were classified as dysphagic and nondysphagic based on bedside functional assessment of swallowing. Patients discharged from hospital were asked to complete the Eating Assessment Tool‐10 (EAT‐10) questionnaire, followed by an endoscopic examination to identify laryngotracheal lesions, and a fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). The food consistencies used for FEES were moderately thick, extremely thick, thin, and regular. Results Based on the functional assessment of swallowing, performed a mean of 5.3 days and a median of 4 days after extubation, the incidence of dysphagia in patients with COVID‐19 undergoing orotracheal intubation was 53.6%. In the late evaluation, performed a mean of 102 days after extubation, 12.8% of patients had an EAT‐10 score >2. Orotracheal intubation (OTI) duration and tracheostomy were risk factors for the development of dysphagia. There was an association between EAT‐10 > 2 and the presence of laryngotracheal lesion, with no difference between lesion type and EAT score >2. Conclusions The incidence of dysphagia varied according to the time of assessment, being higher the earlier the assessment after extubation. OTI duration and tracheostomy were risk factors for the development of dysphagia, and the presence of laryngotracheal lesions demonstrated an association with dysphagia. Level of Evidence 3.