Indications
-
Obstruction of the upper airway
- Foreign body
- Trauma
- Infection
- Laryngeal tumor
- Facial fractures
-
Impaired respiratory function
- Head trauma leading to unconsciousness
-
To assist weaning from ventilatory support in patients on intensive care
-
To help clear secretions in the upper airway
Complications
Immediate
- Haemorrhage, e.g. from thyroid isthmus
- Hypoxia
- Trauma to recurrent laryngeal nerve
- Damage to oesophagus
- Pneumothorax
- Subcutaneous emphysema
Early
- Tube obstruction or displacement
- Aspiration
- Bleeding from tracheostomy site
- Infection
Late
- Airway obstruction with aspiration
- Tracheomalacia
- Aspiration and pneumonia
- Fistula formation, e.g. tracheo-cutaneous or tracheo-oesophageal
- Damage to larynx, e.g. stenosis Tracheal stenosis
