• DOI:10.1378/CHEST.110.2.480
• Corpus ID: 6055621

Comparison of percutaneous and surgical tracheostomies.

@article{Friedman1996ComparisonOP,
  title={Comparison of percutaneous and surgical tracheostomies.},
  author={Yaakov Friedman and John J. Fildes and Barry A. Mizock and Jacob Samuel and S. Patel and Samuel K. Appavu and R Roberts},
  journal={Chest},
  year={1996},
  volume={110 2},
  pages={
          480-5
        }
}

• Y. Friedman, J. Fildes, +4 authors R. Roberts
• Published 1 August 1996
• Medicine
• Chest

OBJECTIVE
To compare the safety and efficacy of percutaneous dilational tracheostomy (PDT) with surgical tracheostomy (ST).

DESIGN
Prospective randomized trial.

SETTING
Public urban teaching hospital.

PATIENTS
Twenty-six patients were randomized to undergo PDT and 27 patients to ST.

RESULTS
The time from randomization into the study until tracheostomy was performed was 28.5 +/- 27.9 h in the PDT group and 100.4 +/- 95.0 h in the ST group (p < 0.001). PDT was performed in 8.2 +/- 4.9 min vs 33.9 +/- 14.0 min for ST (p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in intraprocedural complications between the groups. Postprocedural complication rates were 12% for PDT and 41% for ST (p = 0.008).

CONCLUSION
PDT is superior to ST logistically. PDT can be performed at the bedside eliminating the risk of patient transport. Because operating room scheduling is not necessary, PDT can be performed earlier once the decision to do a tracheostomy is made, which will improve ICU utilization. PDT is a faster procedure to perform and has fewer postprocedural complications.