Long-term follow-up of infants under intensive care with tracheotomy during the period 1956-1965.
Twenty-seven infants who survived intensive care during early infancy in the pioneering period of neonatal intensive care (1956-1965) were investigated after 8-17 years. The selection criterion was maintenance of a tracheotomy for more than 15 days during the first 12 months of life. A variety of clinical, physiological, radiological and psychiatric sequelae was found. Respiratory symptoms were the dominating problem during the post-tracheotomy period. The long-term follow-up revealed that these symptoms had a strong tendency to subside. At the time of the follow-up, as many as 20 children (74%) did not experience any functional impairment.
D002657:Child Development; D003422:Critical Care; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology; D013147:Spirometry; D014140:Tracheotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*