Parental report of pediatric tracheostomy care.
OBJECTIVE
There are little data on the actual care given pediatric tracheostomy patients in their homes. Information on the use of supplies and on techniques and frequency of care is valuable for a better understanding of the needs of this population.


METHODS
Questionnaires were distributed by mail or at clinic visits from May 1995 to June 1996 to a convenience sample of tracheotomized patients at the University of Michigan Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic.


METHODS
Tertiary care clinic.


RESULTS
Clean technique for suctioning was reported by 96.7% of subjects and the rest reported sterile technique. Fifty percent of subjects reported reusing suction catheters. Cleaning solutions used to clean suction catheters for reuse varied. Tracheostomy tube reuse was reported by 55% of subjects. Sixty percent of those who reused tracheostomy tubes had had pneumonia within the previous year, whereas only 25% of those who never reused the tracheostomy tube had pneumonia in the same time period.


CONCLUSIONS
Suctioning frequency, suction catheter, and tracheostomy tube reuse and cleaning methods are variables that warrant further investigation of safety and efficacy.
Bahng
S C
SC
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0230, USA.
VanHala
S
S
Nelson
V S
VS
Hurvitz
E A
EA
Roloff
D W
DW
Grady
E A
EA
Lewis
C C
CC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004203:Disinfection; D017743:Equipment Reuse; D006701:Home Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008824:Michigan; D013396:Suction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014139:Tracheostomy