PERCUTANEOUS VERSUS OPEN TRACHEOSTOMY - A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT OUTCOME STUDY

Percutaneous tracheostomy has been advocated as a faster, safer, and l ess invasive method of placing tracheostomy tubes in ventilated patien ts, To compare outcome differences, as measured by complication rates, between percutaneous and open tracheostomy, a retrospective cohort st udy was performed, All procedures were performed in the intensive care unit of a university-affiliated hospital, The minor complication rate s did not differ significantly between percutaneous and open tracheost omy (12/31 vs. 12/29, respectively; p > 0,05), nor did there appear to be a difference in rates of major complications between the two group s (7/31 vs, 5/29; p > 0.05), This study identified a trend towards an increased risk of delayed airway loss in the percutaneous tracheostomy group.