[Tracheotomy in children]. / Traqueotomía infantil.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To inspect and describe the results of tracheotomies carried out at our ENT Department and to assess changes in indications over the last few decades. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 13 patients, aged 3 months to 14 years, admitted by the ENT Department to the Paediatric ICU at Puerta del Mar University Hospital for elective tracheotomy over a 92-month period. RESULTS: The main indication is shared by obstructive respiratory insufficiency, post-surgery extubation failure and as a means of assisting ventilation in children requiring prolonged intubation. CONCLUSIONS: In the last 30 years the indications for paediatric tracheotomy have changed and the number of children needing intubation for more than 20-30 days has increased. It is no longer an emergency procedure to overcome a blockage in the upper airways but has instead become a technique for maintaining assisted ventilation for the medium to long term.