Research report
A twenty year (1971–1990) review of tracheostomies in a major paediatric hospital

https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-5876(95)01255-9Get rights and content

Abstract

Changing trends in the indications for paediatric tracheostomies, with decreasing numbers of tracheostomies being performed, have been reported in the literature. In a retrospective analysis of the period 1971 to 1990 the experience of tracheostomies in children under the age of 15 at Our Lady's Hospital (Dublin) is reviewed. Only 29 tracheostomies were performed during this time with an increase in numbers (90%) performed during the second 10 year period. The major underlying indication for tracheostomy in both 10 year periods was for the management of an airway problem secondary to congenital abnormalities (65%). In 14 children the operation was performed during the first year of life. However, while 90% of the children were under the age of one in the period 1971–1980 this fell to 26% during 1981–1990. Complications occurred in 41% overall, however, in the under 1 year old group 64% developed complications. There were no deaths as a direct result of the tracheostomy or its complications, but six children died because of the severity of the underlying disease. The average length of time before decannulation was 2.1 years, with decannulation difficulties occurring infrequently (11%).

References (20)

  • T.H. Allen et al.

    Prolonged nasotracheal intubation in infants and children

    Brit. J. Anaest.

    (1972)
  • P. Arcand et al.

    Paediatric tracheostomies: changing trends

    J. Otlaryngol.

    (1988)
  • R.J. Black et al.

    Tracheostomy ‘decannulation panic’ in children: fact or fiction?

    J. Laryngol. Otol.

    (1984)
  • P. Carter et al.

    Ten year review of paediatric tracheotomy

    Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol.

    (1983)
  • W.S. Crysdale et al.

    Tracheotomies: A 10 year experience in 319 children

    Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol.

    (1988)
  • S.K. Dankle et al.

    Prolonged intubation of Neonates

    Arch. Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg.

    (1987)
  • H.C. Filston et al.

    Infant tracheostomy: A new look with a solution to the difficult cannulation problem

    Am. J. Dis. Child.

    (1978)
  • B.B. Gilmore et al.

    Paediatric Tracheotomy Controversies in management

    Otolaryngol. Clin. North Am.

    (1986)
  • D.B. Kearns et al.

    Functional assessment of the paediatric laryngeal airway

    Clin. Otolaryngol.

    (1990)
  • M.A. Kenna et al.

    Tracheotomy in the preterm infant

    Ann. Otol. Rhinol. Laryngol.

    (1987)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (74)

  • Indications and clinical outcome in pediatric tracheostomy: Lessons learned

    2021, International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
  • 73 - Disorders of the Respiratory Tract Caused by Trauma

    2019, Kendig's Disorders of the Respiratory Tract in Children
  • Tracheostomy in childhood: review of the literature on complications and mortality over the last three decades

    2017, Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology
    Citation Excerpt :

    One hundred and 32 articles that represented case reports and case series were excluded. After another review for relevance by two independent otolaryngologists, 547 articles were excluded and 47 articles remained.1–47 Most of the papers excluded at this time did not have sufficient data for review.

  • Neonatal treatment of stage 3 Pierre Robin sequence by mean of a naso-pharyngeal tube

    2015, Revue de Stomatologie, de Chirurgie Maxillo-faciale et de Chirurgie Orale
View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text