Considerations on 200 cases of percutaneous cricothyroidotomy (minitracheotomy)

More than 10 yrs ago, minitracheotomy was suggested as an elective method in the treatment of sputum retention, resulting from impaired ability to cough, in many medical and surgical diseases. We report our experience of 200 cases of percutaneous cricothyroidotomy in our Intensive Care Unit (145 patients), and in other wards (55 patients). The results confirm that minitracheotomy is easy and quick to perform, well-accepted by patients, and free of relevant complications when the technique is performed correctly and sufficient care is adopted. About 60-70% of treated patients benefited by minitracheotomy and did not require more invasive interventions. A better control of technique, moreover, allowed other possible applications to be discovered.