Retrospective Analysis of Our Experience with Percutaneous Tracheostomy in Our Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Aim: Percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) application has advantages such as being able to be applied at the bedside in a short time and less bleeding. It is frequently preferred in intensive care units with indications such as prolonged artificial respiration requirement, facilitating weaning, and providing emergency airway. It is an alternative method to surgical tracheostomy. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively evaluate the percutaneous tracheostomy cases we performed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the last three years.
 Material and Methods: Patients who underwent percutaneous tracheostomy in the 3rd Level our Hospital between January 2018 and December 2022 were examined. Demographic data of the patients, diagnosis of hospitalization, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II Score (APACHE II score), hospitalization time, intubation time, time from intubation to tracheostomy, early and late complications of tracheostomy were retrospectively analyzed.
 Results: Ninety-seven patients were analyzed. The mean age of the patients was 77.6±10.9 (range, 41-100) years and the female-male ratio was 40/57. The most common hospitalization diagnosis was neurological reasons (54.6%). The patients were intubated for 20.3±7.9 (range, 7-48) days and the total length of stay in the ICU 65.3±30.3 (range, 17-175) days. The number of patients who developed complications related to the PT procedure was 17 (12.9%).
 Conclusion: Percutaneous tracheotomy, which is performed in the ICU with indications such as the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation, facilitating weaning, and providing an emergency airway, is a simple, minimally invasive procedure with a low complication rate.