Long-term outcomes following percutaneous tracheostomy using the Griggs technique.
Anaesth Intensive Care
; 31(4): 401-7, 2003 Aug.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-12973964
ABSTRACT
Percutaneous tracheostomy is commonly performed in the intensive care unit. This study assesses the long-term outcomes following percutaneous tracheostomy using the Griggs technique. We carried out a prospective observational cohort study. Two hundred and eight patients who had undergone percutaneous tracheostomy between 1 September 1996 and 31 July 2000 and who were alive at least six months following the procedure, were included in the study. Median follow-up was at 30 months. All patients were sent questionnaires regarding relevant symptoms. One hundred and six (51%) responded and were invited for further follow-up. Forty-three (20.6%) patients underwent scar evaluation by the investigators and 41/208 (19.7%) underwent spirometry. Of the responders, 38% complained of some degree of voice change and 12% complained of ongoing severe cough. Thirty-one per cent complained of shortness of breath, with more than half of these having concomitant heart or lung disease, which may explain this. Eighty-one per cent of patients had minimally visible or a visible but neat scar. Eight patients (8/41 (19.5%)) had some evidence of upper airway obstruction on spirometry, but only 2/41 (5% of patients) were symptomatic (stridor or shortness of breath). We conclude that percutaneous tracheostomy using the Griggs technique has an acceptable long-term complication rate.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Tracheostomy
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Aged80
/
Humans
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Anaesth Intensive Care
Year:
2003
Document type:
Article