Comparison between percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy and surgical conventional tracheostomy in clinical practice

Abstract

To discuss the difference between surgical conventional tracheostomy (SCT) and percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT). Thirty cases with SCT and 30 cases with PDT were selected, in whom the operation time, amount of blood loss, size of operative incision, incision healing time, infection rate, incidence rate of subcutaneous emphysema, incidence of mediastinal emphysema, incidence rate of hypoxemia, and incidence rate of tracheo-esophageal fistula were observed. The operation time was significantly shortened [(12.75+/-4.42) minutes vs. (29.60+/-8.14) minutes], blood loss was significantly decreased [(12.23+/-10.10) ml vs. (26.10+/-13.31) ml], size of operation incision was significantly shorter [(1.48+/-0.12) cm vs. (3.98+/-0.38) cm], incision healing time was significantly shorter [(2.0+/-1.0) days vs. (5.0+/-2.0) days] in PDT compared with SCT (all P<0.05). PDT had less subcutaneous emphysema, infection and mediastinal emphysema in PDT than those in SCT (all P<0.05). PDT is easier in performance, with less blood loss, shorter operation time, incision healing time and size of operation incision, lower infection rate, lower incidence of subcutaneous emphysema and mediastinal emphysema than SCT.