Background The epidemiology, morbidity, and burden of disease related to airway sequelae associated with invasive mechanical ventilation in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic remain unclear. Objective This scoping review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding airway sequelae after severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. This knowledge will help guide research endeavors and decision-making in clinical practice. Methods This scoping review will include participants of all genders, and no particular age group who developed post–COVID-19 airway-related complication will be excluded. No exclusion criteria will be applied from country, language, or document type. The information source will include analytical observational studies. Unpublished data will not be completely covered as gray literature will be covered. A total of 2 independent reviewers will participate in the process of screening, selection, and data extraction, and the whole process will be performed blindly. Conflict between the reviewers will be solved through discussion and an additional reviewer. The results will be reported by using descriptive statistics, and information will be displayed on RedCap (Research Electronic Data Capture). Results The literature search was conducted in May 2022 in the following databases: PubMed, Embase, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, as well as LILACS and gray literature to identify observational studies; a total of 738 results were retrieved. The scoping review will be finished by March 2023. Conclusions This scoping review will describe current knowledge on the most frequently encountered laryngeal or tracheal sequelae in patients exposed to mechanical ventilation due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This scoping review will find the incidence of airway sequelae post COVID-19 and the most common sequelae such as airway granuloma, vocal fold paralysis, and airway stenoses. Future studies should evaluate the incidence of these disorders. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/41811

BACKGROUND Airway sequelae after exposure to mechanical ventilation are important causes of mortality and morbidity due to breathing, deglutition, and voice production problems. These conditions often represent a clinical challenge and introduce high costs of care. Current knowledge on airway sequelae in SARS-CoV-2 infection survivors exposed to mechanical ventilation is limited. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aims to describe current knowledge on the most frequently encountered laryngeal and/or tracheal sequelae in patients exposed to mechanical ventilation due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS Inclusion criteria: This review will consider studies of any design reporting airway sequelae encountered in patients of both sexes and all ages who survived after exposure to mechanical ventilation in the context of infection with the SARS-CoV-2. Studies describing patients exposed to invasive and non-invasive mechanical ventilation will be considered. Methods: An initial search of MEDLINE identified keywords and index terms. The second search of MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science followed, and a preliminary list of 483 references was obtained. After selecting eligible publications for review based on titles and abstracts, their reference lists will be used to identify additional studies. Regardless of the language or the publication date, published studies will be reviewed, whereas unpublished studies and non-scientific literature will be excluded. Two researchers will screen, select, and extract the publications, and data will be presented in tables. RESULTS The literature search was performed in May 2022 in MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS (Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde), the Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and OpenGrey; a total of 214 results were retrieved. Completion of the review is expected in mid-late-2022. CONCLUSIONS This scoping review will be the first to describe the information regarding the development of laryngotracheal sequelae after severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. The data gathered by this review may lead to an understanding of the grade of upper airway sequelae after the pandemic and the impact in the future following years and allow for the assessment of possible interventions according to findings. CLINICALTRIAL This protocol was registered in Open Science Framework Registries on May 16, 2022. It can be found using the following link osf.io/9gefp.