RESUMO
Prospective study of the tracheostomy operations that have been done at Mosul Teaching Hospital, Iraq. We evaluate 80 tracheostomy operations performed in the period from October 2007 to September 2008. Out of 80 patients, 56 were males [70%] and 24 were females [30%]. The age of patients ranged from 6 months to 86 years. Upper airway obstruction was found to be the commonest indication for tracheostomy [60%] and malignancy of the larynx was the predominant single cause of the upper airway obstruction. Elective tracheostomy was performed for 43 patients [53.75%] while emergency tracheostomy for 37 patients [46.25%]. Local anaesthesia was used in 43 patients [53.75%] while general anaesthesia was used in 37 patients [46.25%]. The most common complication was wound infection forming [38.09%] of all complications. More than half of the patients for whom tracheostomies done were below the age of fifty years. Upper airway obstruction is the most common indication for tracheostomy followed by assisted ventilation. Elective tracehostomy dominates over emergency one. There is a significant statistical difference between elective and emergency operations with respect to the complications. There is no significant statistical difference between local and general anaesthesia with respect to the complication. Wound infection is the most common complication encountered in this study