| Abstract [eng] |
Tracheostomy is a medical procedure that involves opening of the trachea and keeping the trachea open with a tube temporarily or permanently to divert airflow from the larynx. Although this procedure was initially used to secure airways in patients with upper airway obstruction when the usual route for breathing is somehow blocked or reduced. It's use has shifted towards elective or planned procedures rather than emergency interventions. Tracheostomy has also expanded to meet other medical conditions like vocal cord paralysis, throat cancer, paralysis, severe head/neck trauma, and neurological conditions that block or narrow the airways. Among contemporary surgical procedures, tracheostomy has an unexpectedly extensive history dating as far back as 3600 BC. Classical authors like Frederick Griffith Pearson and Hermes Conrad Grillo [3],[7] have written extensively on the relevance of tracheostomy and how to mitigate the complications that arise from this procedure. Most contemporary researchers have also published findings from their research to corroborate the works of Grillo and Pearson. This underscores the relevance of tracheostomy and the need for healthcare providers to be acquainted with the complications associated with tracheostomy and the strategies for their prevention and management. This review used literature resources (classical and modern), books, and online databases like PubMed, Academic search Ultimate, Google Scholar and Tripdate to collect scholarly findings on tracheostomy with focus on the pre-surgical, surgical, and post-surgical complications of the procedure; the risk factors that contributes to these complications; preventive measures and interventions that can mitigate the risks of complications; and review the methods for monitoring and assessing the outcomes of tracheostomy care. This review also looked at surgical tracheostomy and the percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy, the two techniques employed to create the opening for tracheostomy. Although, these techniques differ in methodology and complications, this review focused on the complications that arise from the surgical tracheostomy technique. These complications range from immediate, early, or late depending on when they are observed after the procedure. The review also highlighted some preventive steps and treatment options to combat the complications that arise from tracheostomy. While tracheostomy is considered a common medical intervention procedure, and erroneously reputed as an easy routine procedure, some of the complications from it can be life-threatening and can reduce the patient’s quality of life. It is therefore essential for surgeons and healthcare providers to understand the pathophysiology of injuries caused by tracheostomy to effectively apply surgical techniques to manage and mitigate these complications. |
