Categories: Respirology/ ICU

When does a Tracheostomy mature?

After creation of a percutaneous tracheotomy site for prolonged ventilation, one of the immediate complications is accident decannulation.

Conventional practice is if the tracheotomy site is <7 days old, NOT to blindly re-insert the tracheotomy cannula. The risk is re-cannulation into a false tract (i.e anterior mediastinum). Immediate preparation for endo-tracheal intubation should be considered.

REFERENCES

  1. National Health Service. https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/about-us/professional-support-sites/shock-team/guidelines-for-care-of-patients-with-a-tracheostomy-tube/changing-a-tracheostomy-tube/
  2. White AC, Kher S, O’Connor HH. When to change a tracheostomy tube. Respir Care. 2010 Aug;55(8):1069-75.
Get Medical Pearls directly to your inbox every week!
Weekly posts with high yield medical knowledge, directly to your mailbox!
Dr. C Humphreys

Internal Medicine

Recent Posts

Mechanism of a Mixed Apnea

Mixed apneas are characterized by absent respiratory effort and airflow in the first section of…

12 months ago

How Does Hypothyroidism Cause Hypoventilation?

Although rare, the differential diagnosis of hypoventilation and hypercapnia respiratory failure includes hypothyroidism. It is…

12 months ago

Why is Pro-BNP/ BNP lower in Obesity?

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a hormone created in response to cardiac wall stretch due…

1 year ago

What is Peribronchovascular Distribution on CT imaging?

A common finding described on computed tomography (CT) imaging. A disease with a peribronchovascular distribution…

2 years ago

Trapped Lung vs. Lung Entrapment

Though often used synonymously; Trapped Lung and Lung Entrapment technically describe separate entities along the…

3 years ago

Cause of Pericardial Effusion in Pulmonary Hypertension: Pathogenesis

It is not clearly understood why patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) develop pericardial effusions. However,…

3 years ago

This website uses cookies.