Tracheotomy in Children

Objective To inspect and describe the results of tracheotomies carried out at our ENT Department and to assess changes in indications over the last few decades. Material and methods Retrospective study of 13 patients, aged 3 months to 14 years, admitted by the ENT Department to the Paediatric ICU at Puerta del Mar University Hospital for elective tracheotomy over a 92-month period. Results The main indication is shared by obstructive respiratory insufficiency, post-surgery extubation failure and as a means of assisting ventilation in children requiring prolonged intubation. Conclusions In the last 30 years the indications for paediatric tracheotomy have changed and the number of children needing intubation for more than 20–30 days has increased. It is no longer an emergency procedure to overcome a blockage in the upper airways but has instead become a technique for maintaining assisted ventilation for the medium to long term.