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Updated: Jul 27, 2025

The Rigid Tube as an Alternative in Controlling the Problematic Airway
Published on: June 6, 2020
Increased Intervals Between Paediatric Tracheostomy Tube Changes: Is it a Safe Technique?
Pheemaphol Samornpitakul1, Warisra Watcharaporn1, Dhave Setabutr1,2
1Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, Khlong Nueng, Pathum Thani 12120 Thailand.
Abstract:
To evaluate the safety of changing tracheostomy tubes every three months in paediatric patients and determine the occurrence of tube-related complications. Retrospective observational chart review was completed from 2018 to 2021 at a tertiary medical centre in Thailand. Tube associated complications were assessed with regards to interval length between tracheostomy tube changes. The rate of complication was compared with previous studies. Out of a total of 108 visits, the average interval between each tube change was 87 days. Of all encounters, 6.48% resulted in a tube-related complication. Of these seven visits, two had an admission for a respiratory infection within 30 days, three experienced accidental decannulation and two resulted in excess granulation tissue formation. A p-value of 0.8 was obtained from a chi-squared test. An interval of 90-days between paediatric tracheostomy tube changes does not increase the rate of tracheostomy tube related complications. This interval may be practical for those in resource limited settings.
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