Skip to main content

Table 1 Summary of trials comparing surgical tracheostomy and PDT in intensive care patients

From: Clinical review: Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy

 

Procedure

Study characteristics/findings

Standard tracheostomy

PDT

Total number of patients (n)

260

272

Procedural time (min; range [mean])

4.3–41 (23)

6.5–25 (15)

Complications (n)

54

18

Cases of significant bleeding (n)

6

4

Infections (n)

19

10

Deaths related to the procedure (n)

4

2

  1. Shown is a summary of eight prospective randomized controlled clinical trials comparing surgical tracheostomy and PDT in the intensive care unit setting from 1999 to 2002 [39]. PDT, percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy.