Analysis of The Usefullness of Percutaneous Tracheostomy Technique

During the period from March 2000 to February 2001, percutaneous tracheostomy was performed to fifteen patients with respiratory failure. using Portex Percutaneous Tracheostomy Kit^【○!R】. The technique used is based on the principles which was described by Griggs et al. In this method, the tip of the guide wire dilator forceps are inserted into the trachea by means of Seldinger's method, and then the guide wire dilator forceps are opened to prepare a stoma of the tracheostomy. Continuously, a tracheostomy tube is inserted over the guide wire and advanced into the trachea. This procedure was performed by a few doctors to the patients(10 males and 5 females) whose ages ranged from 55-83 years (71.9±8.4 years, mean±S.D.). 3patients underwent tracheostomy in the operating room while the operation for the primary disease, others did their bed sides. 8patients already had been performed transoral tracheal intubation, and 3 had inserted narrow suction tube to the trachea prior to the tracheostomy. This procedure required only about 5 minutes to complete from all patients. Clinically significant complication was occurred in 1 patient (7.1%). This complication was a slight subcutaneous emphysema. It was suggested that percutaneous tracheostomy was rapidly and easily performed at the bed side and was associated with significantly few complications