Evaluation of Pediatric Patients Undergoing Surgical Tracheostomy

Abstract

Objective: Unlike adult practices, the tracheostomy procedure has higher morbidity and mortality in children. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively investigate our experience of anesthesia in cases who underwent tracheostomy with pediatric surgery. Methods: Sixty-six children aged 0–18 years who underwent surgical tracheostomy between 2018-2020 were included. Data included patient demographics, intubation time, tracheosto- my indications, anesthetic agents used, and intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results: Of all patients, Thirty-nine (59.1%) were 1–12 months, 37 (56.1%) were female, and 43 (66.7%) had an underlying neuromuscular disease. Fifty-five patients (84.8%) were hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit. The intubation time was 44.16±32.45 days before tracheostomy and the duration of ICU stay was 34.60±26.76 days after tracheostomy. The overall mortality rate was 3.03% (n=2). One of the deaths occurred intraoperatively and the other during the early postoperative period. The most common complications were desaturation in the intraoperative period, bleeding in the early postoperative period, and stoma granulation in the late postoperative period. 63.6% of the patients were discharged. Conclusion: We found that prolonged intubation related to neurological disease was the most common indication for tracheostomy in pediatric patients and prolonged tracheosto- my opening time did not increase mortality or morbidity.