Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomies Research Articles

Bronchoscopy guided percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy; performed by anaesthesiology residents

Aims: Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy can be performed safely at the bedside in critical patients today. Clinical studies on tracheostomy were mostly carried out by experienced healthcare professionals. This study was designed to investigate the differences of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy performed by anaesthesiology residents using two different methods. Methods: Patients hospitalized in anaesthesia intensive care unit who underwent percutaneous tracheostomy were examined. All tracheostomy procedures were performed by anaesthesiology residents using the “Griggs” or “Ciaglia” method. The procedure time, difficulty and complications of both methods were recorded. Results: 38 patients were included in the study. It was observed that 22 of the patients had tracheostomy with the Griggs technique, and 16 with the Ciaglia technique. Tracheostomy application time was measured as 6.05 minutes with the Griggs technique and 6.35 minutes with the Ciaglia technique (p=0.939). There was no difference in complications and technical difficulties between the two methods. Conclusion: In this study, where bedside bronchoscopy guided percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies were applied by two different methods by anaesthesiology residents, no difference was found between the two methods in terms of complications and technical difficulties. We believe that "Griggs" and "Ciaglia Blue Rhino", two of the percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy methods, are not superior to each other in terms of ease of use and complications in anaesthesiology education.

Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy; Diagnosis and Mortality Rate in Intensive Care Saiful Anwar Hospital

Introduction: Tracheostomy is a common surgical procedure performed on critically ill intensive care patients. Reports have documented considerable associated morbidity, with complication rates varying from 6 to 66%. The reports on mortality associated with tracheostomy range from 0 to 5%. Since its introduction, percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies (PDT) have gained increasing popularity. The most commonly cited advantages are the ease of the familiar technique and the ability to perform the procedure at the bedside.7 This paper aims to study the mortality rate and diagnosis of patients who performed the percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy procedure in the ICU of Saiful Anwar Malang Hospital.
 Methods: Observational analytical research is carried out cross-sectionally. Data was collected from the medical records of patients undergoing PDT for the period July 2022 – October 2022. Statistical analysis using the Chi-square test.
 Results: From 39 subjects, 34 (87.2%) subjects experienced respiratory failure. The most common cause was HAP pneumonia (61.5%), followed by CVA (17.9%) and CAP pneumonia (12.8%); the rest were EDH, SAH, and ASD secundum, as much as 2.6%. The outcome was that 13 (33.3%) subjects died, and the rest survived and were transported to a care ward. Correlation between patient outcomes with respiratory failure p=0.735, with diagnosis p=0.309.
 Conclusion: The most common diagnosis of PDT is HAP pneumonia. There was no significant correlation between diagnosis and mortality of patients performed by PDT.

13. The Percutaneous Tracheostomy in Head and Neck Oncology Surgery

Enhanced experience in performing percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies (PDT) during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in changes to airway management for patients undergoing head and neck reconstructive surgery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. All patients now receive a percutaneous tracheostomy over the previously favoured surgical tracheostomy (ST), unless contraindicated.

Safely performing percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies on COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit: A standardized approach.

BackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection and the resulting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) have afflicted hundreds of millions of people in a worldwide pandemic. During this pandemic, otolaryngologists have sought to better understand risk factors associated with COVID‐19 contamination during surgical procedures involving the airways such as tracheostomies.ObjectiveThis study provides a standardized technique of performing an ultrasound (US)‐guided percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) on COVID‐19 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). It also outlines safety strategies for health care providers that includes proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and regular testing of otolaryngologists for COVID‐19 contamination.MethodsThis study analyzed data from 44 PDT procedures performed on COVID‐19 patients in the ICU of hospitals in Sao Paulo and Santos, Brazil. The PDT procedures were conducted between April 2020 and August 2020, which coincided with a peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic in São Paulo, Brazil. Surgeons were tested for COVID‐19 using a two‐stage serological enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay specific for SARS‐CoV‐2 antigens.ConclusionThis study describes a safe standardized technique of US‐guided PDT for COVID‐19 patients in the ICU using a method that also decreases the risk of surgeon contamination.

Ultrasound use in the ICU for interventional pulmonology procedures.

Critical care ultrasound has shifted the paradigm of thoracic imaging by enabling the treating physician to acquire and interpret images essential for clinical decision-making, at the bedside, in real-time. Once considered impossible, lung ultrasound based on interpretation of artifacts along with true images, has gained momentum during the last decade, as an integral part of rapid evaluation algorithms for acute respiratory failure, shock and cardiac arrest. Procedural ultrasound image guidance is a standard of care for both common bedside procedures, and advanced procedures within interventional pulmonologist’s (IP’s) scope of practice. From IP’s perspective, the lung, pleural, and chest wall ultrasound expertise is a prerequisite for mastery in pleural drainage techniques and transthoracic biopsies. Another ultrasound application of interest to the IP in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting is during percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT). As ICU demographics shift towards older and sicker patients, the indications for closed pleural drainage procedures, bedside transthoracic biopsies, and percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies have dramatically increased. Although ultrasound expertise is considered an essential IP operator skill there is no validated curriculum developed to address this component. Further, there is a need for developing an educational tool that matches up with the curriculum and could be integrated real-time with ultrasound-guided procedures.

Safety of bronchoscopic guided percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy in ICU patients in Tabriz City

BACKGROUNDTracheostomy is one of the most frequently performed procedures in intensive care units. The widespread attraction of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) is increasing in modern intensive care units (ICU). Bronchoscopic guidance seems to secure the safety of the technique. Multiple studies done to explain characterize differences in complications and cost-effectiveness of open and percutaneous tracheotomy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the benefits of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) using the Ciaglia technique with bronchoscopic guidance.METHODSA total of 100 elective percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies using the Ciaglia technique with a little modification were performed under flexible fiber optic bronchoscopic guide. The demographic variables were recorded, the underlying cause for patient’s referred to the center for PDT, and intraoperative as well as early postoperative complications. Patients followed for several days after tracheostomy for early complications.RESULTSNo severe complications related to percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy were noticed during and after the procedure. Three patients had bleeding during incision and two led to subcutaneus hematoma. There were no other complications such as infection, emphysema and puncture of posterior wall.CONCLUSIONSWe recommended the use of endoscopic guidance bedside percutaneous tracheostomy using the Ciaglia technique with a little modification because it is safe and simple to do without significant complications. PDT with bronchoscopic guidance is a safe and easy procedure that can be done at the bedside setting.

Impact of real-time ultrasound guidance on complications of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy: a propensity score analysis.

IntroductionRecent studies have demonstrated the feasibility of real-time ultrasound guidance during percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy, including in patients with risk factors such as coagulopathy, cervical spine immobilization and morbid obesity. Use of real-time ultrasound guidance has been shown to improve the technical accuracy of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy; however, it is unclear if there is an associated reduction in complications. Our objective was to determine whether the peri-procedural use of real-time ultrasound guidance is associated with a reduction in complications of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy using a propensity score analysis.MethodsThis study reviewed all percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies performed in an 8-year period in a neurocritical care unit. Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies were typically performed by trainees under guidance of the attending intensivist. Bronchoscopic guidance was used for all procedures with addition of real-time ultrasound guidance at the discretion of the attending physician. Real-time ultrasound guidance was used to guide endotracheal tube withdrawal, guide tracheal puncture, identify guidewire entry level and confirm bilateral lung sliding. The primary outcome was a composite of previously defined complications including (among others) bleeding, infection, loss of airway, inability to complete procedure, need for revision, granuloma and early dislodgement. Propensity score analysis was used to ensure that the relationship of not using real-time ultrasound guidance with the probability of an adverse outcome was examined within groups of patients having similar covariate profiles. Covariates included were age, gender, body mass index, diagnosis, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, timing of tracheostomy, positive end-expiratory pressure and presence of risk factors including coagulopathy, cervical spine immobilization and prior tracheostomy.ResultsA total of 200 patients underwent percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy during the specified period, and 107 received real-time ultrasound guidance. Risk factors for percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy were present in 63 (32%). There were nine complications in the group without real-time ultrasound guidance: bleeding (n = 4), need for revision related to inability to ventilate or dislodgement (n = 3) and symptomatic granuloma (n = 2). There was one complication in the real-time ultrasound guidance group (early dislodgement). The odds of having an adverse outcome for patients receiving real-time ultrasound guidance were significantly lower (odds ratio = 0.08; 95% confidence interval, 0.009 to 0.811; P = 0.032) than for those receiving a standard technique while holding the propensity score quartile fixed.ConclusionsThe use of real-time ultrasound guidance during percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy was associated with a significant reduction in procedure-related complications.

Tracheal ring fracture secondary to percutaneous tracheostomy: is tracheal flaccidity a risk factor?

To evaluate the risk factors of tracheal ring fracture and whether previous tracheal ring flaccidity predisposes to it in consecutive, mechanically ventilated, intensive care unit patients undergoing different percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy procedures (Ciaglia Blue Rhino, PercuTwist, and Ciaglia BlueDolphin). Single-center retrospective study performed between November 2006 and July 2013. Single-center university hospital. Two hundred nineteen consecutive intensive care unit patients. Video bronchoscopic percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies using different techniques, including Ciaglia Blue Rhino, PercuTwist, and Ciaglia BlueDolphin, were performed consecutively. During the procedure, the tracheal wall response to the routine external palpation was evaluated endoscopically to find the interanular space. An abnormal change in the tracheal ring shape (fingerprint) with anterior airway wall collapse was diagnosed as tracheal flaccidity. Tracheal ring fracture occurred in 21 patients (9.6%). The proportion of tracheal ruptures was 16 (76.2%) after PercuTwist, 3 (14.3%) after Ciaglia Blue Dolphin, and 2 (9.5%) after the Blue Rhino technique. Significant risk factors for tracheal rupture were PercuTwist procedure (p = 0.02), tracheal flaccidity (p = 0.0001), and a period of intubation before a percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy procedure>14 days (p = 0.01). In addition to the PercuTwist technique and intubation>14 days before tracheostomy, tracheal flaccidity was a significant risk factor for tracheal ring fracture. In the presence of this finding, a less traumatic tracheostomy procedure should be applied.

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy: mostly safe, but do benefits outweigh risks?

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies have become one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures in the ICU, and are believed to offer a variety of advantages over open tracheostomies, including increased convenience. Recent publications have established that the risk of fatal complications related to the procedure is low. However, clinicians must still weigh these risks against expected but largely unproven benefits. More research is needed to establish the indications for the procedure, including the optimal patient selection and timing during a course of mechanical ventilation. Such studies should also seek to improve our ability to accurately identify which patients will require prolonged mechanical ventilation, and to quantify the potential benefits of tracheostomy compared with prolonged translaryngeal intubation.

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies in a newly established trauma center: a report from Qatar.

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) is a routine surgical procedure for critically ill patients who require prolonged ventilatory support. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all PDTs performed at the adult Trauma Intensive Care Unit (TICU) of Hamad Medical Corporation in Doha, Qatar, from January 2009 through September 2012. For all adult patients, we analyzed the demographic characteristics, mean ventilator time before the procedure, injury severity score (ISS), complications, and outcomes. Of the 1,442 trauma patients admitted to the adult TICU during our study period, 124 (8.5%) underwent PDT using the Ciaglia Blue Rhino technique. The vast majority were male (94.3%). The mean age was 35±15.6years; mean ventilator time before the procedure, 12±3days; and mean ISS, 24.2±9.3. More than half of patients had head injury (56%), followed by chest and abdomen (26%) and cervical spine injuries (18%). Early complications included difficult tube placement (0.8%), hypoxemia (0.8%), minor bleeding (1.6%), and hypotension (0.8%), but the vast majority (93%) of patients had no complications. The procedure-related mortality rate was 0%. PDT is safe and can be performed with minimal complications even in a newly established trauma center.

Tracheostomy in the Intensive Care Unit: A Nationwide Survey

The indication, timing and technique of tracheostomy have changed over the last several years. We performed a survey to assess the current practice of tracheostomy in German intensive care units (ICUs). A postal questionnaire was sent to the head physicians of 513 German ICUs, excluding pediatric ICUs. We obtained responses from 455 of the 513 ICUs (89%). In 90% of the ICUs, tracheostomies were performed during the first 14 d of mechanical ventilation. Eighty-six percent of the ICUs routinely performed percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy; the modified Ciaglia technique was the most popular percutaneous technique (69%). The majority (98%) of the percutaneous procedures were performed under bronchoscopic control. Surgical tracheostomy is usually performed in the operating room (72%) by a surgeon (61%), whereas percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies are usually performed at the patient's bedside in the ICU (98%) by an intensivist (93%). Tracheostomized patients were followed up routinely in 26% of the ICUs, and in 45% of the ICUs there were guidelines regarding the indication, the timing and the technique of tracheostomy. Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy is the procedure of choice for tracheostomy in critically ill patients in Germany. The modified Ciaglia technique is the preferred percutaneous technique, and nearly all physicians routinely use bronchoscopic guidance. Most tracheostomies are done during the second week of mechanical ventilation.

Experience with 224 percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies at an adult intensive care unit in Bahrain: A descriptive study

Tracheostomy is one of the most commonly performed procedures in critically ill patients. Over the past 15 years, many large university hospitals have reported their experience with percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT). We have described and compared our experience with 224 PDTs that we performed in the last four and a half years. We have also compared PDT performed with and without bronchoscopic guidance at our setting and PDT verses surgical tracheostomy.OBJECTIVE:The purposes of this study are to evaluate the safety of PDT in our hospital setting and to compare our results with those published in the literature.DESIGN:A retrospective study for our experiences about safety and efficacy of 224 PDTs in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting.SETTING:A 11-bedded adult medical, surgical, neuro-trauma ICU at Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This is based on our experiences about complications/timings of all PDTs performed from October 2002 to February 2007. A retrospective chart analysis.RESULTS:There were 15 mechanical complications in total, including nine patients developing bleeding during or post-procedure, three patients developing pneumothorax and two patients developing cellulitis; in one procedure, a tracheostomy tube was misplaced. The proportion of total complications was 6.6% and no death.CONCLUSIONS:From our experience, bronchoscope can be used during PDTs performed in ICU by inexperienced intensivists who do not have good exposure to procedures, but after gaining adequate experience, PDT can be performed safely without using bronchoscope.

Comparison of Open Versus Bedside Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy in the Cardiothoracic Surgical Patient: Outcomes and Financial Analysis

The clinical and financial outcomes of a change in practice from traditional tracheostomy (open) to bedside percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies (PDT) was evaluated in patients who underwent cardiothoracic surgery. During 3 years, 86 tracheostomies were performed in more than 4,000 patients who underwent cardiac surgery, 59 open and 27 PDT. A retrospective analysis was performed comparing clinical and financial outcomes of the two groups. There were no significant differences in demographics, medical histories, operations, or complications between open and PDT except the open group experienced more postoperative arrhythmias (70% [41 of 59] versus 44% [12 of 27], p < 0.05). Total savings associated with 1 year of PDT was $84,000, for a projected discounted savings of $283,000 during the study period. A sensitivity analysis of critical economic variables (number of tracheostomies per year, cost of operating room per minute, cost of intensive care unit bed per day) was included to evaluate the impact on cost savings. The net present value analysis, which discounts future savings by an appropriate interest rate, yielded a range of projected savings of PDT more than 5 years of $73,000 to $541,000 with a best estimate of $304,000 using figures established from our 3-year experience with PDT. Sensitivity analysis of the net present value for each critical variable was $227,000 per day of reduced intensive care unit length of stay, $180,000 per cost of operating room avoidance, $100,000 per intensive care unit bed cost per day, and $11,000 per additional tracheostomy per year. There were no significant clinical differences between open and PDT in cardiac surgery patients during the 3-year study period; however, PDT offered significant cost savings.

Clinical review: Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy

As the number of critically ill patients requiring tracheotomy for prolonged ventilation has increased, the demand for a procedural alternative to the surgical tracheostomy (ST) has also emerged. Since its introduction, percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies (PDT) have gained increasing popularity. The most commonly cited advantages are the ease of the familiar technique and the ability to perform the procedure at the bedside. It is now considered a viable alternative to (ST) in the intensive care unit. Evaluation of PDT procedural modifications will require evaluation in randomized clinical trials. Regardless of the PDT technique, meticulous preoperative and postoperative management are necessary to maintain the excellent safety record of PDT.

Open versus Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy: Efficacy and Cost Analysis

The economic advantages of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies versus open tracheostomies in the operating room have been thoroughly evaluated. We are now reporting our comparison of the costs and charges of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies with those of open bedside tracheostomies at our institution. The current literature comparing the two open techniques and the percutaneous method of placing tracheostomies was reviewed and the charges and costs for these procedures at our institution were compared. Patients were placed into one of three groups for analysis: open tracheostomies in the operating room (Group I), open tracheostomies in the intensive care unit (Group II), and percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies in the intensive care unit (Group III). Based on our own experience and a literature review it is evident that all three approaches to tracheostomies are safe. Economic analysis showed a savings of $180 in cost per procedure and a $658 savings in charges per procedure for the open method at the bedside when compared with the percutaneous method at the bedside. The professional fee for bronchoscopy was not included in this calculation; including this would lead to greater savings with the open method over the percutaneous method. Open tracheostomy in the operating room increased costs over the bedside procedure by $2194 and increased charges by $2871. For the 150 to 180 tracheostomies done each year at our institution utilization of the open technique at the bedside results in a cost savings of approximately $31,500 and a charge savings of $109,000 compared with the percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy. Both the open bedside and percutaneous dilatational methods are reasonable and safe options. However, the open bedside tracheostomy is a better utilization of resources and is more cost effective, and it is the procedure of choice at our institution.

Tracheostomy in cardiosurgical patients: surgical tracheostomy versus Ciaglia and Fantoni methods

Background. Patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation are not uncommon in a cardiosurgical intensive care unit. Elective tracheostomy is considered the airway treatment of choice in these patients. Methods. To evaluate different techniques for tracheostomy, we prospectively investigated 120 patients who had conventional open (n = 40), minimally invasive percutaneous dilatational (n = 40), or translaryngeal (n = 40) tracheostomy techniques. The main areas of investigation included oxygenation index (partial pressure of arterial oxygen divided by fraction of inspired oxygen), complications, infection, and cost. Results. The oxygenation index decreased in almost every patient, regardless of the technique used, but the extent of decrease was significantly lower in both minimally invasive techniques compared with the conventional method. Overall complication rate was 12.5% both in open tracheostomy and in percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy, whereas no complications occurred in translaryngeal tracheostomy procedures. Bacterial contamination of the tracheostomy site was found in 35% of the open tracheostomies, whereas no infection was seen in percutaneous dilatational or translaryngeal tracheostomies. In terms of costs, PDT ($506) and TLT ($362) were both much cheaper than open tracheostomy ($699). Conclusions. Percutaneous dilatational and translaryngeal tracheostomies are safe and cost-effective procedures that can be done easily at the patient’s bedside and thus are attractive alternatives to conventional surgical tracheostomy in long-term airway access in a cardiosurgical intensive care unit.

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy done early after cardiac surgery--outcome and incidence of mediastinitis.

During November 95 to April 97, 45 percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies were performed in a nonselected patient series of 2788 open cardiac surgery cases. Tracheostomy was performed as early as the 2nd postoperative day (median: 6th day), when extubation was not foreseen within the next few days. Duration of intubation was 13 days (mean). We observed 6 complications in 5 patients (13.3%), namely bleeding, misplacement of the tube, subcutaneous emphysema, and superficial infection of the tracheostoma. Mediastinitis and wound infection of the sternal wound did not occur in any single case. There was no death due to tracheostomy. Clinically evident tracheal stenosis and inadequate granulation of the stoma were not observed after extubation. In our opinion, percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy is justifiable, shows good results, and entails minimal risk if done early after cardiac surgery, and it is also superior to standard surgical tracheostomy. Increased incidence of mediastinitis was not seen.

Addendum: Percutaneous tracheostomy

To evaluate the risk factors of tracheal ring fracture and whether previous tracheal ring flaccidity predisposes to it in consecutive, mechanically ventilated, intensive care unit patients undergoing different percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy procedures (Ciaglia Blue Rhino, PercuTwist, and Ciaglia BlueDolphin).Single-center retrospective study performed between November 2006 and July 2013.Single-center university hospital.Two hundred nineteen consecutive intensive care unit patients.Video bronchoscopic percutaneous dilatational tracheostomies using different techniques, including Ciaglia Blue Rhino, PercuTwist, and Ciaglia BlueDolphin, were performed consecutively. During the procedure, the tracheal wall response to the routine external palpation was evaluated endoscopically to find the interanular space. An abnormal change in the tracheal ring shape (fingerprint) with anterior airway wall collapse was diagnosed as tracheal flaccidity.Tracheal ring fracture occurred in 21 patients (9.6%). The proportion of tracheal ruptures was 16 (76.2%) after PercuTwist, 3 (14.3%) after Ciaglia Blue Dolphin, and 2 (9.5%) after the Blue Rhino technique. Significant risk factors for tracheal rupture were PercuTwist procedure (p = 0.02), tracheal flaccidity (p = 0.0001), and a period of intubation before a percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy procedure>14 days (p = 0.01).In addition to the PercuTwist technique and intubation>14 days before tracheostomy, tracheal flaccidity was a significant risk factor for tracheal ring fracture. In the presence of this finding, a less traumatic tracheostomy procedure should be applied.