Airway control and percutaneous tracheostomy

More on airway obstruction with percutaneous tracheostomy.

Are New Airway Devices for Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy Really Needed?

To the Editor: I read with great interest the article by Vargas et al1 regarding a double lumen endotracheal tube (DLET) for percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT). The authors present their version of a DLET device designed to permit continuous bronchoscopy during PDT while allowing for better gas exchange by removing the bronchoscope from inside the patient’s endotracheal tube (ETT). Th...

Percutaneous Tracheostomy

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) is a commonly performed procedure in critically sick patients. It can be safely performed bedside by intensivists.This has resulted in decline in the use of surgical tracheostomy in intensive care unit (ICU) except in few selected cases. Most common indication of tracheostomy in ICU is need for prolonged ventilation. About 10% of patients requiring a...

[Percutaneous tracheostomy].

In the last few years numerous reports from intensive care units confirm that a nonsurgical percutaneous tracheostomy has successfully replaced elective conventional (surgical) tracheostomy. The majority of authors point out the advantages over surgical technique such as: the speed of procedure, the possibility of doing it at bedside thus excluding transport and the need for operating theatre, ...

Percutaneous tracheostomy

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) has gained an increasing acceptance as an alternative to the conventional surgical tracheostomy (ST). In experienced hands, and with proper patient selection, it is safe, easy and quick. COMPLICATIONS: Perioperative complications are comparable with those of ST and these are mostly minor. An important advantage of PT over ST is that there is no need to...