ABSTRACT
AIM: To evaluate the effects of surgical and percutaneous tracheotomy on thyroid hormones. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Sixty patients with respiratory problems who underwent surgical tracheotomy and percutaneous tracheotomy between December 2012 and December 2016 were divided into 2 groups. FT3, FT4, thyroglobulin and TSH levels of the groups were statistically evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: The effects of surgical and percutaneous tracheotomy on free thyroxin (FT4), serum thyroglobulin (TG) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were found to be statistically significant. Although free triiodothyronine (FT3) slightly elevated in both groups, it was not statistically significant. DISCUSSION: Today, percutaneous tracheotomy (PCT) and conventional surgical tracheotomy (CT) have been widely used in intensive care units on patients who are expected to be connected to mechanical ventilation for a long time. Because of the anatomy of the surgical site, tracheotomy may cause damage to the adjacent thyroid gland and tracheal rings CONCLUSION: Surgeons should keep in mind that serum thyroid hormone levels may increase postoperatively. Particularly the patients with cardiac rhythm problems should be followed after surgical and percutaneous tracheotomy due to the systemic effects of thyroid hormones. KEY WORDS: Tracheotomy, Thyroid hormones.
