Surgical Risk, Operative Time, and Anesthesia Time Associated With Combining Tracheostomy and Gastrostomy Tube...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Anesthesiology
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Pediatric patients often require both tracheostomy and gastrostomy tube (G-tube) placement for life support.
• The safety and efficiency of combining these procedures under a single anesthetic are not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of combining tracheostomy and G-tube placement on operative time and surgical risk in pediatric patients.
• To compare the outcomes of combined procedures versus separate procedures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the 2016-2021 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric database.
• Included pediatric patients (0-2 years) undergoing elective tracheostomy or G-tube placement.
• Employed propensity score matching to compare combined procedures with independently performed procedures.

Main Results:

• Combined procedures were associated with a significantly lower risk of complications (OR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.65).
• A reduction in anesthesia time was observed for combined procedures (mean difference: 57 min; 95% CI: 47, 68).
• No significant difference in total operative time was found between combined and separate procedures.

Conclusions:

• Combining tracheostomy and G-tube placement in pediatric patients reduces anesthesia time and complication risk.
• The combined approach does not impact total operative time compared to performing procedures separately.
• This strategy may mitigate risks associated with prolonged anesthesia exposure.