As a treatment for respiratory failure in chronic lung disease, an artificial airway is sometimes required for respiratory control. In these circumstances, endotracheal intubation is applied first. However, tracheotomy is sometimes performed when further respiretory care is needed.
Twenty three tracheotomies were performed in our department for this purpose during the last 7 years (from April 1998 to March 1995). Twelve patients have survived at present, and most of them were able to break away from mechanical respiration completely within a few days after their tracheotomy. Tracheotomy was more effective as an artificial airway than endotracheal intubation for these patients. On the other hand, seven of the non-surviving 11 patients died soon after tracheotomy. Thus, tracheotomy was not as effective for them as it was for the 12 survivors. It is doubtful whether tracheotomy, an invasive technique, is an appropriate therapy for these poor-prognostic patients. Before making a decision to use tracheotomy, the prognosis for life itself should be evaluated objectively and precisely.
