Momentul optim al traheostomiei la pacientul critic

Approximately 25% of the patients admitted in the Intensive Care Units require tracheostomy, especially for prolonged mechanical ventilation or for difficult weaning. The advantages of this maneuver are multiple, most important being the improvement of the respiratory parameters, the increase in the patient’s comfort and the decreasing risk of complications associated with prolonged endotracheal intubation. There are no absolute criteria in order to forbid this maneuver. The benefits of this method in different subgroups have been revealed by a series of clinical studies according to the specialized literature. Choosing the technique for mounting a tracheostomy, as well as the person who performs are up to each ICU. Finally, a perfect timing for performing this maneuver has not yet been established, therefore leaving this topic open to future research.