DOZ047.61: Elective tracheostomy in critically ill children: to do or not to do? Ten year experience from an academic center in Pakistan

Abstract Background Tracheostomy is one of the oldest and most commonly performed procedures among critically ill patients. The advantages of an elective tracheostomy in pediatric intensive care unit are improved patient comfort, lesser need for sedative drugs, early weaning from mechanical ventilation support eventually leading to reduced cost of care. Objective This study describes the frequency, indications, complications, and outcome of elective pediatric tracheostomies in critically ill children from a single pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care center. Design This is a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing tracheostomy. Setting This is a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a tertiary-care hospital. Patients All patients underwent tracheostomy in our PICU over the ten-year period. Main Results A total of 48 children underwent a tracheostomy, corresponding to a 1.5% of the total PICU admissions during the study period. 34/48 (71%) patients were male. A 25% of our patients undergoing a tracheostomy had an underlying CNS condition, followed closely by a respiratory problem (11/48 patients).The main indication for tracheostomy in children was prolonged mechanical ventilation secondary to respiratory 35/48 (73%), that included upper airway obstruction, foreign body aspiration or pneumonia and neurological or neuromuscular illness (6.3%) including traumatic brain injury, meningitis/encephalitis, Gullain Barre’ syndrome, and neurodegenerative disorders. Two patients died from tracheostomy-related complications, making it an overall mortality rate of 4%. Conclusion Tracheostomy in children is a relatively frequent procedure at our hospital. The commonest indication was prolonged mechanical ventilation. Early tracheostomy is associated with better patient outcomes in terms of morbidity and length of stay.