Awake vs Sedated Tracheostomies: A Review and Comparison at a Single Institution:

ObjectiveThe literature surrounding awake tracheostomies is sparse, particularly comparing awake tracheostomy patients to that of the sedated tracheostomy population. This study sought to compare tracheostomy patient demographics, indications, and outcomes of the 2 populations.Study DesignCase series with chart review.SettingTertiary care center.Materials and MethodsAll tracheostomies performed at our tertiary academic medical institution between January 2013 through November 2015 were reviewed. The data collected included demographics, comorbidity, anticoagulation, and outcomes.ResultsA total of 978 tracheostomies performed during this period met inclusion criteria, with 78 (8.0%) on awake patients. Most awake procedures were performed by otolaryngology (97.4%). Male sex predominated (73.1% awake vs 57.8% sedated). Forty-four patients (56.4%) were smokers in the awake group vs 326 of 900 (36.2%) in the sedated group. Malignancy was the primary indication for awake tracheostomy (68/78, 87.1%). One patient...