[Tracheostomy. Indications, methods, risks]

Tracheostomy is one of the oldest procedures in surgery. Although it was traditionally used for treatment of upper airway stenosis, the primary surgical indication is now in the long-term intensive care unit patient. Here, the aims are avoidance of damage to the larynx, earlier weaning from artificial respiration and improved nursing care. Apart from the conventional operating method, minimally invasive procedures have been increasingly employed. More than 20,000 ICU patients per annum are now treated in Germany by these modern methods. Common features of these procedures are the initial puncture of the trachea with subsequent dilatation of the puncture channel. Current meta-analyses of prospectively randomised studies show a lower complication rate than with conventional methods. Furthermore, serious sequelae such as tracheal stenosis are rare in the long-term course. However, conventional operative tracheostomy still has its place, particularly in circumstances where the new methods are contraindicated.