Modified Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy with or without Bronchoscopy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy is widely accepted in many Intensive Care Units (ICU) in the word. The aim of this study was to compare the complications of Modified Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy (MPDT) with or without bronchoscopy. A randomized clinical trial was performed in 270 ICU patients, candidate for tracheostomy in Babol Rouhani Hospital, between April 2013 and May 2018. They were systematically divided into two groups. MPDT was carried out in both groups. At first, the transverse section (2 cm) was given 1 cm below the cricoid cartilage, then PDT was performed after seeing the trachea ring. In the first group, PDT was performed without a bronchoscope and in the second group the PDT was done applying bronchoscopic guide. The procedure time, waiting time to tracheostomy, complications such as hemorrhage, stomal infection, and pneumothorax were compared in two groups. Data were analyzed in SPSS V22 using Chi-square, independent sample, and Fisher exact test. There were no differences between the two groups in age, sex, mean apache score, and mortality (P> 0.05). The mean waiting time to tracheostomy was not significantly different (P= 0.632). The procedure time in the PDT without bronchoscopy was 6.44 ± 3.54 min and in the PDT with bronchoscopy was 9.25 ± 3.30 min (P<0.001). The complication rate in the PDT without bronchoscopy was 14 (10.4%) and in the bronchoscopy group was 12 (8.9%) (P= 0.680). Modified PDT without bronchoscopy is as safe as PDT with bronchoscope.