Laboratory study of new technique using a one-pass dilator for percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy

P Ciaglia and W Marx

St Elizabeth Medical Center, 2215 Genesee Street, Utica NY 13501, Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, Utica, SUNY HSC, Syracuse NY, USA

from 19th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine
Brussels, Belgium. 16–19 March 1999

Critical Care 1999, 3(Suppl 1):P008doi:10.1186/cc383

Published:

16 March 2000

Background and objectives

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy requires the use of several dilators of increasing size. It would be a marked advantage to use only one dilator to achieve the desired 36 F. This report presents preliminary animal studies using freshly sacrificed dogs, adult pig tracheas fresh from the slaughterhouse and live piglets.

Methods

The usual technique for percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy was first followed to insert a guidewire into the trachea. A well-lubricated, one-pass, long, tapered dilator was threaded over the guidewire into the trachea. With twisting, it was inserted to the 36 F level. The one-pass dilator was removed leaving the guidewire in place and the chosen tracheostomy tube was passed over the guidewire into the trachea using the usual technique of percutaneous dilacational tracheostomy.

Results

A total of 50 dog cadavers and 25 slaughterhouse sheep tracheas were successfully tracheotomized using the one-pass dilator employing 7 and 8 mm I.D. tubes. Six live piglets were finally used successfully. No perforations or false passengers occurred.

Conclusions

A one-pass technique was used successfully on fresh dog cadavers and should be evaluated on human beings.

This article is part of the supplement: 19th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

Laboratory study of new technique using a one-pass dilator for percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy

Background and objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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