Pediatric bedside tracheostomy in the pediatric intensive care unit: six-year experience

Turk J Pediatr. 2008 Jul-Aug;50(4):366-72.

Abstract

In this study, we evaluated the experience of a single center pediatric intensive care unit in pediatric bedside tracheostomies performed during a six-year period. Thirty-one bedside tracheostomies were performed on 31 patients aged 2 months to 18 years. The major indication for tracheostomy was prolonged ventilator dependence. Twenty-two complications, 6 major and 16 minor, were observed in 18 patients. Early complications were observed in 5 patients and all were managed immediately without serious outcomes. Ten patients died during the study period and only one death was directly related to the tracheostomy; the remaining 9 patients died due to their underlying disease. Eleven patients were successfully decannulated, 12 patients were discharged home with their tracheostomies and 5 of these 12 patients required home ventilation. Although children who required tracheostomy had a high overall mortality (32.3%), the prognosis of these patients depends primarily on the underlying medical condition.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Airway Obstruction / surgery
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Hospital Mortality*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / statistics & numerical data*
  • Male
  • Point-of-Care Systems / statistics & numerical data*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tracheostomy / adverse effects
  • Tracheostomy / methods
  • Tracheostomy / statistics & numerical data*