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Survival time following surgery in dogs with primary lung tumours was poor except in clinical stage T1N0M0 cases. These data support use of clinical techniques to dichotomise cases as T1N0M0 or other, improving decision making in thoracic surgery. These data validate initiation of prospective studies examining the role of chemotherapy in the management of advanced cases.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiology, specifically the indications, complications, and outcomes, of pediatric tracheostomies performed in one tertiary referral unit.Methods: Single-center retrospective cohort study of pediatric patients undergoing tracheostomy between May 2010 and May 2018 at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals, United Kingdom.Results: One hundred seventy-two pediatric tracheostomies were performed during the study period with a median age of 141 (interquartile range [IQR] 51-484) days. The most common primary indication was long-term ventilation (38.4%, 66 of 172), followed by weaning from ventilation in cardiac patients (22.1%, 38 of 172). Only 5.2% (9 of 172) of our cohort underwent tracheostomy for subglottic stenosis. The vast majority of tracheostomies were performed electively, with just 6.4% (11 of 172) performed as an emergency procedure. Early and late complication rates were 9.8% (15 of 153) and 40.0% (61 of 153), respectively. Tracheostomy decannulation was successful in 44.4% of children (68 of 153). The median duration the tracheostomy was in situ was 397 (IQR 106-708) days. All-cause mortality was 22.1% (38 of 172), with tracheostomy-related mortality at 1.2% (2 of 172).Conclusion: We report one of the largest contemporary case series of pediatric tracheostomies. Present-day pediatric tracheostomy is primarily performed as an elective procedure in ventilated children under the age of 1 year. Pediatric tracheostomy should be considered as a long-term intervention in many children. Nevertheless, a large proportion of children are ultimately decannulated. It is important to acknowledge the significant morbidity associated with this intervention and the small-but-present risk of tracheostomy-related mortality.

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