Objective: To assess late outcome following percutaneous tracheostomy using
the Porter kit (Hythe, Kent, UH).
Design: Prospective observational cohort study.
Setting: Teaching hospital,
Patients: Forty-nine consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous trache
ostomy in the ICU using the Porter kit and who survived 6 months after the
procedure, Interventions: Questionnaires regarding six symptoms were sent t
o all 49 surviving patients; the 39 respondents were invited to attend for
review. Thirteen patients underwent pulmonary function testing, of whom 10
also underwent fiber-optic laryngotracheoscopy under local anesthesia,
Results: The most common symptom was a minor change in voice. One patient h
ad required treatment for symptomatic tracheal stenosis by the time of revi
ew; one was referred for revision of a tethered scar. Pulmonary function te
sting was easily performed by all patients and revealed no evidence of uppe
r airway obstruction. Tracheoscopy likewise showed no evidence of tracheal
stenosis.
Conclusions: One of 49 patients had developed tracheal stenosis. None of th
e patients attending for detailed review showed any sign of late complicati
ons other than one tethered scar.