title: Polysomnography in the evaluation of readiness for decannulation in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether polysomnography is useful in the evaluation of readiness for decannulation in children with long-term tracheotomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive, retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care pediatric center, pediatric sleep disorders laboratory, and pediatric otolaryngology referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (younger than 18 years) with tracheotomy undergoing polysomnography to assess their dependence on tracheotomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Polysomnography in all patients; endoscopy and decannulation in those judged clinically ready.
  
  
  METHODS
  Success of decannulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen of 16 patients with favorable polysomnographic data were successfully decannulated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polysomnography is a useful supplement to airway endoscopy in the evaluation of readiness for decannulation in children with long-term tracheotomy and dynamic airway issues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md., USA.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Tunkel
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McColley
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Baroody
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Loughlin
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014140:Tracheotomy / Q000295:instrumentation