Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy.

Methods: Fifteen patients electively selected for percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy as performed with the Ciaglia Percutaneous Tracheostomy Introducer Set are reported in this preliminary study.

Results: The median time for insertion of the tracheostomy tube was 13.9 min. Complications were cuff puncture of the translaryngeal tube at an early stage of the procedure in one case, and minor bleeding controllable by the compressible effect of the dilatational procedure in three cases. During the posttracheostomy period, complications were one case of minor bleeding controllable by digital compression and one case of minor infection, i.e. cellulitis in a few millimetres around the stoma without purulent secretion.

Conclusions: Our preliminary results indicate the technique as performed with the Ciaglia Introducer Set to be effective and safe with only minor complications. Furthermore, we now use it as a bedside procedure in the ICU, thus avoiding the transportation of critically ill patients to the operating theatre. The conclusion of the superiority of percutaneous tracheostomy to dissectional tracheostomy has to await clinical randomized studies, including more patients.