Objectives: To evaluate the bleeding complications associated with percutaneous tracheostomy while a patient is receiving venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygen (VV ECMO) support.
Design: Retrospective, observational analysis.
Setting: Single-center, tertiary, academic institution.
Participants: All consecutive patients on VV ECMO over a 10 year-period undergoing percutaneous tracheostomy.
Interventions: Percutaneous tracheostomy.
Measurements and main results: Fifty percutaneous tracheostomies were performed in patients requiring VV ECMO support over the 10-year period. The authors observed a 40% incidence of bleeding, with 32% of these incidences characterized as minor (self-limiting, localized stomal ooze) and 8% characterized as significant (necessitating surgical control and frequent packing or accompanied by a decrease in hemoglobin >20%).
Conclusions: Bleeding is associated with percutaneous tracheostomy and is self-limiting in the majority of patients.
Keywords: bleeding; complications; percutaneous tracheostomy; venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
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