Authors: Bernard G Fikkers Gerdine A J Fransen Johannes G van der Hoeven Inge S Briedé Frank J A van den Hoogen
Publish Date: 2003/07/22
Volume: 29, Issue: 8, Pages: 1390-1393
Abstract
Postal questionnaire survey on retrospective data A questionnaire was sent to all n=63 ICUs with six or more beds suitable for mechanical ventilation and officially recognized by The Netherlands Intensive Care Society Pediatric ICUs were excludedThere was an 87 n=55 response rate of contacted ICUs The number of tracheostomies per year per unit varied widely range 1–75 most ICUs 42 performing between 11 and 25 tracheostomies per year In 44 of ICUs n=24 tracheostomy was not performed on a routine basis In 25 of ICUs n=14 tracheostomies were performed during the second week of ventilation Surgical tracheostomy and percutaneous procedures were technique of first choice in 38 and 62 of ICUs respectively In only 7 of units were late followup protocols in use Thirtytwo units 58 reported a total of 56 major complications
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