[Percutaneous transtracheal ventilation using Nu-Trake cricothyreotomy instruments and tracheoscopic follow-up...

Practicability and efficiency of the cricothyreotomy set Nu-Trake was investigated in corpses (n = 10) in the institute of Pathology and clinically in laryngectomy patients (n = 5) including endoscopical controls. The practicability proved to be good, the time needed to perform the coniotomy did not last longer than 2 minutes. But complications in the investigation on the corpses could not be avoided. These were missing the lumen of the trachea, perforation of the pars membranacea tracheae and fracture of the cricoid. The clinical investigation demonstrated a sufficient oxygenation and ventilation in all patients during the whole investigation period (30 min). This can be explained by the diameter of 7.2 mm of the used tube. Endoscopic controls showed a sufficient distance of the tip of the tubes from the pars membranacea tracheae and almost no bleeding within the trachea. Similar as with other coniotomy-technics the cricothyreotomy with the Nu-Trake set bears the risk of typical complications which have to be overcome by training of this important measure of emergency.