Predictors of difficulty in bedside percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy: pilot study.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy is currently one of the main procedures performed in an intensive care unit (ICU). However, there are no well-defined indicators of technical difficulty in performing the procedure. OBJECTIVES: to define predictors of difficulty in performing bedside percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy. METHODOLOGY: prospective cohort study encompassing 21 patients who underwent bedside percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy in the ICU at a single center. RESULTS: Sternohyoid (SH) distance shorter than 7 cm is associated with a 50% increase in the risk of technical difficulty (OR 0.44 and p <0.03). CONCLUSION: the reduction in (SH) distance is related to an increased risk of difficulty in performing percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy in the ICU bed.