Laryngotracheal stenosis: a serious complication of percutaneous tracheostomy

Abstract

Tracheostomy in patients requiring prolonged artificial ventilation in intensive care is increasingly being performed by a percutaneous dilatational technique, in preference to the standard surgical method. Since its introduction numerous series have reported favourably on its general safety in the short‐term, but there have been few reports of longer term follow‐up of patients. We present four cases of laryngotracheal stenosis, a previously unreported complication associated with the technique, and discuss the relevance of these to the future practice of percutaneous tracheostomy.