Tracheostomy for long-term ventilated patients: a postal survey of ICU practice in The Netherlands

To assess the frequency, timing, technique, and follow-up of tracheostomy for long-term ventilated patients in different intensive care units (ICUs) in The Netherlands.

Postal questionnaire, survey on retrospective data. A questionnaire was sent to all ( n=63) ICUs with six or more beds suitable for mechanical ventilation and officially recognized by The Netherlands Intensive Care Society. Pediatric ICUs were excluded.

There was an 87% ( n=55) response rate of contacted ICUs. The number of tracheostomies per year per unit varied widely (range 1-75), most ICUs (42%) performing between 11 and 25 tracheostomies per year. In 44% of ICUs ( n=24) tracheostomy was not performed on a routine basis. In 25% of ICUs ( n=14) tracheostomies were performed during the second week of ventilation. Surgical tracheostomy and percutaneous procedures were technique of first choice in 38% and 62% of ICUs, respectively. In only 7% of units were late follow-up protocols in use. Thirty-two units (58%) reported a total of 56 major complications.

Timing and technique of tracheostomy varies widely in Dutch ICUs. The percutaneous technique is the procedure of choice for tracheostomy in most of these units. Late follow-up protocols are rarely in use.