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Updated: Aug 19, 2025

The Rigid Tube as an Alternative in Controlling the Problematic Airway
Published on: June 6, 2020
Associative factors for tracheostomy in patients presenting with stridor or upper airway obstruction
P R Sharma1, A Ahmeidat1, S Drever2
1School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
Objective:
This study aimed to identify associative factors for tracheostomy in patients presenting with airway obstruction.
Methods:
Data from a tertiary hospital were reviewed to identify patients who presented with airway obstruction between 2009 and 2020. Patient demographics, causative pathology and treatments were analysed.
Results:
The study identified 297 admitted patients. Of these, 66 underwent a tracheostomy and formed the 'tracheostomy' group and 231 formed the 'other intervention' group. The tracheostomy group had a higher mean age (p = 0.003), and higher percentages of males (p = 0.031) and smokers or ex-smokers (p = 0.020), compared to the other intervention group. The tracheostomy group also had a higher number of patients with a malignancy (p < 0.001) compared to the other intervention group.
Conclusion:
Being older, male, a previous or current smoker, or developing airway obstruction due to a malignancy were found to be the main associative factors for requiring a tracheostomy.
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