Pediatric tracheostomy. Experience during the past decade.

A retrospective review of a decade of experience with pediatric tracheostomy encompassed 420 children. Analysis was performed with respect to primary diagnosis, age, duration of tracheostomy and hospitalization, early and late complications and mortality. While the incidence of tracheostomy per hospital admission decreased over the period of review, there was substantial increase in duration of tracheotomy. Approximately half of the patients sustained complications. While overall mortality approached 28%, tracheostomy-related deaths occurred in only eight patients (2%). Almost one fifth of children with tracheostomies were discharged to home care, and 3% were involved in our home ventilator program.