TRACHEOTOMY IN THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE

Tracheotomy in infants is considered to be associated with a high comp lication rate. This study was conducted to establish the indications a nd complications associated with tracheotomy in patients less than one year old. The charts of 44 consecutive infants operated on between 19 82 and 1991 at the Montreal Children's Hospital were reviewed. The int ra-operative complication rate was 9%; the postoperative was 18%. Home care was associated with a very low morbidity. The mortality attribut able to tracheotomy was 5%. Significant complications were associated with the lack of availability of the correct size tracheotomy cannula. This study finds a significant rate of complications in the infant ag e group, but differs from other studies in finding that very premature neonates do not experience a higher rate of complications.