Current opinion in otolaryngology & head and neck surgery
-
Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jun 2014
ReviewThe UK National Tracheostomy Safety Project and the role of speech and language therapists.
Tracheostomy care is evolving, with the majority of procedures now performed percutaneously to facilitate weaning from mechanical ventilation in the critically ill. Traditional surgical indications remain, but surgical tracheostomies are increasingly performed in more complex patients and procedures. This brings unique challenges for the multidisciplinary professional team in which speech and language therapists (SLTs) have a key role. ⋯ Patients with tracheostomies can benefit from a co-ordinated, truly multidisciplinary approach to care. SLT-specific expertise in assessing and managing communication and swallowing needs is a vital part of this process.