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The Parkland 12-Minute Checklist Tracheotomy
Neeraj Panchal1, Michael Zide2
1Former Chief Resident, University of Texas Southwestern, Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, TX; Clinical Instructor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; Chief, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Philadelphia Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA.
Summary
A new checklist for tracheotomy (surgical procedure to create an opening in the neck) was validated. This method enables the procedure to be safely completed in under 12 minutes.
Area of Science:
- Medical procedures
- Surgical techniques
- Intensive care medicine
Background:
- Tracheotomy is a critical surgical procedure for patients with respiratory failure.
- Prolonged intubation can necessitate tracheotomy.
- Optimizing surgical time is crucial for patient outcomes in intensive care settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the surgical time required for tracheotomy.
- To introduce a novel checklist or algorithm for performing tracheotomy.
- To achieve optimal outcomes within a 12-minute timeframe.
Main Methods:
- A checklist method for tracheotomy was designed and implemented.
- The study included 6 consecutive patients in a medical intensive care unit.
- Surgical time was the primary outcome, with procedures performed by residents under supervision.
Main Results:
- The average surgical time for tracheotomy was 10.66 minutes (range: 8-12 minutes).
- The study included 6 patients (mean age 48 years; 4 men, 2 women).
- The checklist facilitated efficient procedure execution.
Conclusions:
- The developed checklist enables efficient and safe tracheotomy.
- The procedure can be reliably completed in under 12 minutes.
- This approach contributes to improved patient care in intensive settings.