Abstract

FERNANDEZ, ALICIA et al. Utilidad de la traqueostomía en la unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos: Experiencia de tres años. Arch. Pediatr. Urug. [online]. 2002, vol.73, n.3, pp.137-139. ISSN 1688-1249.

Tracheostomy is a technique used in Pediatric and Adult Intensive Care Units. In pediatric patients the indications of tracheostomy are clearly established but the final decision and the opportunity is frequently a discussed and deffered, more so if the patient is small. Objective: evaluate the indication of the tracheostomy in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Material and methods: we studied 43 patients who required tracheostomy, affected by different clinical conditions, during a three year period, at the Children’s Intensive Care Unit at the Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell. Results: the incidence of tracheostomy during the study period was 2%. The most frequent cause that determined the need for the procedure was upper airway obstruction post endotracheal intubation (58%). An endoscopy was performed prior to the procedure in 15 of the 43 patients and it was reported as pathological in all cases. The mortality related to the procedure was nil. In 70% of the cases mechanical ventilation was ended within the 48 hours after performing the tracheostomy.

Keywords : TRACHEOSTOMY; CRITICAL CARE.

        · abstract in Spanish | Portuguese     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )