Lijec̆nic̆ki vjesnik
-
Lijec̆nic̆ki vjesnik · Nov 1993
[Tracheotomy or intubation, alternatives in the treatment of respiratory insufficiency during infectious diseases in childhood].
Tracheostomy and endotracheal intubation are complementary methods in the management of acute respiratory failure (ARF). One hundred patients (n = 100) were treated at the Intensive Care Unit for Infants and Children, University Hospital of Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević" Zagreb, from 1987 to 1991. ⋯ Most of our patients developed ARF as a result of inefficient gas transfer, particularly those suffering from central nervous system infection. Nasotracheal intubation appeared to be the method of choice in the treatment of ARF in infancy and childhood, while tracheostomy is only the supplement of substitute when particular indications are present. In most of our patients (83%) those methods contributed to the positive outcome of ARF treatment.