Pediatric intensive care unit tracheostomy experiences in Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine

Abstract

In this study; patients who underwent conventional tracheostomy while being followed up on a mechanical ventilator with endotracheal intubation in their pediatric intensive care unit were evaluated retrospectively. It was aimed to share the positive changes observed in clinical-mechanical ventilator parameters with the literature. Study data were obtained from the hospital information management system and recorded in the "Child Patient Evaluation Form with Tracheostomy" as follows: Demographic data, diagnosis of admission to pediatric intensive care unit, indications for mechanical ventilation and tracheostomy, changes in post-procedure mechanical ventilation parameters, tracheostomy complications, decannulation, survival and death rates etc. Post-discharge medical records were created by telephone interviews with parents. IBM SPSS 21 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) program was used for statistical analysis. In our study; the most common indication (67.0%) for tracheostomy was the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation. Peak inspiratory pressure requirement on mechanical ventilator decreased statistically and tidal volume increased significantly in those who underwent tracheostomy due to prolonged mechanical ventilation requirement (both p<0.001). On the other hand, the mean length of stay in the pediatric intensive care unit after the procedure was statistically significantly shorter (p<0.001). Decannulation success was statistically significantly higher in those who underwent tracheostomy due to upper airway obstruction (p<0.02). In our study; only four (6.2%) patients died due to tracheotomy (cannula occlusion, unplanned decannulation, etc.). Clinicians should consider tracheostomy if extubation cannot be achieved in children and adolescents who have been given mechanical ventilation for a long time (>2-4 weeks) due to progressive primary disease. Tracheotomy should definitely be performed within appropriate medical indications in order to shorten the length of stay in the hospital/Pediatric intensive care unit and to provide medical care outside the hospital (e.g.; a suitable home environment) in order to create general psychosocial-physical well-being in the patients.