• Jackson Jer-Kan Wu, Mu-Shun Huang, Gau-Jun Tang, Shin-Chin Shih, Chih-Chieh Yang, Wei-Fong Kao, Min-Hsiung Huang, and Chen-Hsen Lee.
• Division of Trauma, Emergency Department, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. jkwu@vghtpe.gov.tw
• J Chin Med Assoc. 2003 Aug 1; 66 (8): 467-73.

BackgroundPercutaneous dilatational tracheostomy has gained popularity, but its superiority to open tracheostomy is unclear. The object of this study was to compare procedure time, complication, safety and cost-effect between the percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) and the conventional open tracheotomy (OT).MethodsA prospective randomized clinic trial was conducted in a general Intensive Care Unit of an University-based hospital. Eighty-three consecutive patients who needed elective tracheostomies were selected for this study. PDT was performed using the Ciaglia method with OT as control group. Age, gender, operative data, complications and mortality were recorded for analysis.ResultsThe procedure time was 22.0 +/- 12.1 minutes in PDT group, and 41.5 +/- 5.9 minutes in OT group, with significant statistical difference (p < 0.001). The incidences of complications were not different between both groups. Ages, gender or days of pre-tracheostomy intubation showed no difference between two groups.ConclusionsThe PDT appears to be a simple, safe and time-saving bedside procedure. It can be recommended when an elective tracheostomy is needed in a critical patient.

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