Tracheostomy Practices in UK Intensive Care Units
Author Information
Author(s): Veenith Tonny, Ganeshamoorthy Sangeetha, Standley Thomas, Carter Joseph, Young Peter
Hypothesis
What are the current practices and preferences for tracheostomy in UK intensive care units?
Conclusion
Percutaneous tracheostomy is the preferred technique in the UK, but follow-up care for patients post-discharge is lacking.
Supporting Evidence
- Percutaneous tracheostomy is preferred over surgical tracheostomy in 89% of units.
- 80% of units use bronchoscopic guidance for percutaneous tracheostomy.
- 59% of ICUs do not have routine follow-up for patients after discharge.
Takeaway
Doctors in the UK mostly prefer a quick and easy way to do tracheostomy, but they often forget to check on patients after they leave the hospital.
Methodology
A postal survey was sent to lead clinicians of 228 general ICUs in the UK to identify current tracheostomy practices.
Limitations
The study did not take specific details of the case mix of the units surveyed, which limits the ability to assess appropriateness of practices.
Participant Demographics
Lead clinicians from 197 general intensive care units in the UK.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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