Emergency tracheostomy, an experience of 120 casses

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study is to compare short term complications in elective and emergency tracheostomy Qausi Experimental study Place and Duration of Study Department of ENT, Head and Neck Surgery Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi from Jun 2006 to Jun 2008. Patients and Method: In this study 120 patients undergoing tracheostomy were included. Patients were purposely divided into two groups of 60 each. Patients in Group A had elective tracheostomy where as group B included 60 patients who under went emergency tracheostomy. Short term complications including haemorrhage, surgical emphysema, cardiac arrest and stomal infection were noted in both groups. Chi-square test was applied as test of significance to compare the two groups. Emergency tracheostomy in our study is associated with significantly increased risk of haemorrhage and surgical emphysema [p value being <0.05]. There was no statistical difference in occurrence of stomal infection and cardiac arrest between the two groups. Emergency tracheostomy is associated with significantly increased risk of postoperative haemorrhage and surgical emphysema