Decannulation after cricotracheostomy: a comparison of partial cricoid cartilage resection with conventional tracheostomy.

BACKGROUND Cricotracheostomy, a modified procedure to open the airway with partial cricoid cartilage resection, was recently reported to be useful in selected cases. AIMS/OBJECTIVES To examine decannulation outcomes in patients who underwent cricotracheostomy by comparing it with a conventional tracheostomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data from 127 consecutive adult patients, who underwent either conventional tracheostomy or cricotracheostomy between 2016 and 2019, were collected and analyzed with respect to subsequent decannulation with stoma closure. RESULTS Conventional tracheostomy and cricotracheostomy were performed in 94 and 33 patients, respectively. The most frequent reason for choosing cricotracheostomy was a physiological low-lying larynx (n = 12). After excluding 30 patients who were considered ineligible due to their primary disease, subsequent decannulation with stoma closure was achieved in 35 (46%) of 76 cases with conventional tracheostomy and seven (33%) of 21 cases with cricotracheostomy, showing no significant difference (p = .33). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Compared with a conventional tracheostomy, cricotracheostomy had an acceptable decannulation outcome. However, it should be emphasized that an appropriate selection of patients is required on considering the advantages of cricotracheostomy.