Percutaneous and Surgical Tracheostomyin Elderly

OpenAlex İngilizce

Introduction: Tracheostomy is one of the most common procedures in geriatric patients receiving long-term mechanical ventilation.Percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) is increasingly used as an alternative to traditional surgical tracheostomy (ST).This study evaluated the complications, operative time, and functional outcomes of percutaneous and open surgical tracheostomy in elderly patients treated at intensive care units (ICUs). Methods:The medical records of geriatric patients who underwent tracheostomy at ICUs were retrospectively reviewed.Patients included in the study were categorised into two groups: PT or ST.Patients' age, sex, APACHE II scores, number of intubated days, length of stay in ICU, mortality, operative times, and complications during and after the procedure were evaluated.Results: A total of 47 patients were included in the study; the PT group comprised 27 patients, and the ST group comprised 20 patients.Overall, 55% of the patients died during the first 30 days after tracheostomy.The mean ± SD operation time was 23.4 ± 3.2 min for ST and 11.2 ± 2.8 min for PT (p = 0.00).No significant differences were observed in complication rates between the groups (p > 0.05).Discussion and Conclusion: There were no significant differences between the two methods in terms of complications.Nevertheless, PT had a shorter duration than ST.Among geriatric patients, tracheostomy does not increase survival and quality of life.In cases of prolonged intubation, tracheostomy should be planned considering the clinical benefits and risks for the patients.