BACKGROUND Long-term mechanical ventilation is the most common situation where tracheostomy is indicated for patients in intensive care units (ICU). 'Early' and 'late' tracheostomies are two categories of the timing of tracheostomy. The evidence on the advantages attributed to early over late tracheostomy is somewhat conflicting but includes shorter hospital stays and lower mortality rates. O...

INTRODUCTION The effect of various airway management strategies, such as the timing of tracheostomy, on liberation from mechanical ventilation (MV) is uncertain. We tested the hypothesis that tracheostomy, when performed prior to active weaning, does not influence the duration of weaning or of MV in comparison with a more selective use of tracheostomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this observation...

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective, consecutive case series. OBJECTIVE To determine the risk factors for a tracheostomy in patients with a cervical spinal cord injury. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND DATE Respiratory status cannot be stabilized in patients with a cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) for various reasons, so a number of these patients require long-term respiratory care and a tracheostomy. Var...

BACKGROUND Tracheostomy is a life saving procedure when it is performed for an appropriate indication and surgical technique. The aim of this study was to compare the early complications of elective and emergency tracheostomy in our setup. METHODS This comparative study was conducted at the ENT Department. Hayatabad Medical (Complex (HMC) from March 2009 to March 2010. A total of 100 patients...

INTRODUCTION Balloon dilatation is a method of choice for treatment of laryngeal stenosis in children. The aim of procedure in apneic pause is to avoid new insertion of tracheostomy cannula. PATIENTS AND METHODS The authors performed balloon dilatation of subglottic laryngeal strictures (SGS) in 5 children (3 girls and 2 boys) without tracheotomy. Two of them with traumatic and inflammatory S...

INTRODUCTION There is little objective comparative information about the postoperative complications of tracheostomy in morbidly obese patients. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and severity of complications associated with open tracheostomy in critically ill morbidly obese patients during hospitalization. METHODS During a six year period, all consecutive morbidly obese pa...

Tracheostomy for management of severe laryngomalacia is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Two cases are reported wherein the laryngeal abnormality was corrected by ary-epiglottic fold incision and CO2 laser supraglottoplasty. Stridor and respiratory obstruction were relieved and a long term tracheostomy avoided. Endoscopic correction of laryngomalacia offers significant benef...

Methods Retrospective cohort analysis of prospective collected data at a tertiary neuroscience centre. All the patients requiring tracheostomy in our Intensive Care Department from October 2012 to March 2015 were included. The patients were allocated in 2 different units according to the reason for admission (Neurocritical Care Unit and General Intensive Care Unit). Tracheostomy weaning was per...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and cost-effectiveness of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy performed in the intensive care unit. DESIGN Retrospective review of 65 patients with cost-effectiveness analysis. SETTING University-affiliated tertiary care teaching hospital with a 34-bed combined medical-surgical intensive care unit. PATIENTS All patients who underwent percutaneous dilata...