Abstract
Bacground and objectives: Tracheostomy is a surgical procedure in which an opening is made in the anterior wall of the trachea to establish an air way. Tracheostomy is the best choice of airway control if we need a prolonged airway. Tracheostomy complications consist of: 1- early (at the first hours): hemorrhage, pneumothorax, surgical trauma to esophagus and recurrent laryngeal nerve. 2- early (in the first week): tracheal erosion, tube displacement, tube obstruction, subcutaneous emphysema, lung abscess and aspiration 3- late: tracheo cutaneous fistula, tracheal stenosis, tracheoesphageal fistula, tracheomalacia, delayed hemorrhage.
Materials and Methods: This study is a cross- sectional study in which 210 patients with tracheostomy were assessed in Tabriz Imam Khomeini's hospital in 5 years (2000-2005). Data were collected from the patient's files. Data were analyzed statistically with SPSS program.
Results: From 210 patients, 114 cases (54.3%) were complicated. The mean age of patients was 53 19.6 year. 78.6% of patiernts were male. The majority of complication were early and assessd in the first week. The most common complication was hemorrhage (25.7%),followed by aspiration (10%), hypercapnia(10%), tracheoesophageal fistula (8.6%)and tracheitis (7.1%). The effective agent on complications rate was the cause of trachrostomy. prolonged intubation that was the most cause of tracheostomy, had incremental effect on early complication in the first week such as subcutaneous emphysema and aspiration.
Conclusion: The most common complication of tracheostomy was hemorrhage. Thus, more attention to control and prevention from it is important. Because of association between tracheostomi'es causes and it's complication, attention to causes is important and more attention and prevention for contral of it's complication must be done.