Discharge destination following elective and emergency surgical tracheostomies in head and neck cancer patients.

Objectives: Tracheostomy in the setting of head and neck cancer may be performed either electively for prophylactic airway protection in an ablative procedure, or as an emergency due to impending airway obstruction in the setting of an obstructing upper aerodigestive tract malignancy. Tracheostomy care has biopsychosocial implications, which may require a higher level of care from carers, post-acute care, or placement into care facilities. Existing database studies have largely excluded patients with a history of head and neck cancer.