Pheemaphol Samornpitakul

Thammasat University Hospital, Thailand

Title: Increased intervals between paediatric tracheostomy tube changes: Is it a safe technique?

Time:

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Biography

Research Intrest

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the safety of changing tracheostomy tubes every three months in paediatric patients and determine the occurrence of tube-related complications.

Material and Methods: Retrospective observational chart review was completed from 2018 to 2021 at a tertiary medical centre in Thailand. Tube associated complications were assessed with regards to interval length between tracheostomy tube changes. The rate of complication was compared with a past study.

Results: Out of a total of 108 visits, the average interval between each tube change was 87 days. Of all encounters, 6.48% resulted in a tube-related complication. Of these 7 visits, 2 had an admission for a respiratory infection within 30 days, 3 experienced accidental decannulation and 2 resulted in excess granulation tissue formation. A p-value of

0.8 was obtained from a chi-squared test.

Conclusion: An interval of 90-days between paediatric tracheostomy tube changes does not increase the rate of tracheostomy tube related complications. This interval may be practical for those in resource limited settings.