Turkish J Pediatr
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In this study, we evaluated the experience of a single center pediatric intensive care unit in pediatric bedside tracheostomies performed during a six-year period. Thirty-one bedside tracheostomies were performed on 31 patients aged 2 months to 18 years. The major indication for tracheostomy was prolonged ventilator dependence. ⋯ Ten patients died during the study period and only one death was directly related to the tracheostomy; the remaining 9 patients died due to their underlying disease. Eleven patients were successfully decannulated, 12 patients were discharged home with their tracheostomies and 5 of these 12 patients required home ventilation. Although children who required tracheostomy had a high overall mortality (32.3%), the prognosis of these patients depends primarily on the underlying medical condition.