Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy without fiber optic bronchoscopy-Evaluation of 80 intensive care units cases

Background: The development of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy techniques (PDT) has facilitated the procedure in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Objective: To describe the early intra and post-operative complications in ICU patients requiring percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy using the Ciaglia Blue Rhino technique, without fiber optic bronchoscopy. Patients and methods: We collected data from eighty ICU patients during three years. The demographic variables were recorded, in addition to severity, number of days in mechanical ventilation prior to the procedure and intraoperative as well as early postoperative complications. Results: Eighty patients were included, with the mean age of 61.5 (15-89) years old (29 females). The mean APACHE II score was 17.9. In average, the patients required 11.6 days of mechanical ventilation prior to the PDT. 11.6% had intraoperative complications and 9.1% experienced early postoperative complications. In two patients the endotracheal tube was accidentally punctured and three patients had self-limiting bleeding at the tracheostomy site. None of the complications was life threatening to the patients. Conclusions: PDT using the Ciaglia Blue Rhino technique, without fiber optic bronchoscope is a procedure with low incidence of complications.

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