Translaryngeal tracheostomy in highly unstable patients

Abstract

Percutaneous tracheostomy is a widely accepted and commonly performed technique for attaining long-term airway access in critically ill patients. However, severe respiratory failure and coagulopathy are relative contraindications for these procedures. We describe two patients with severe respiratory failure and inhibitor-complicated haemophilia A who underwent elective percutaneous tracheostomy performed translaryngeally, using the new Fantoni technique. Apart from two minor bleeding episodes in the haemophilic patient which were controlled promptly, no other complications occurred. If certain precautions are observed carefully, we believe that translaryngeal tracheostomy is a procedure which is superior to other percutaneous techniques and safe even in patients with severe respiratory failure and coagulopathy.