Appropriateness of routine postoperative chest radiography after tracheotomy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the appropriateness of postoperative chest radiography after adult tracheotomy.


METHODS
Retrospective case series.


METHODS
Tertiary care academic medical center.


METHODS
The records of 379 consecutive adult patients who underwent tracheotomy by the Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Service from January 1992 to December 1996 were available for review and met inclusion criteria. All patients underwent postoperative chest radiography.


METHODS
Frequency of postoperative tracheotomy-associated complications, most significantly pneumothorax.


RESULTS
The patients had no pneumothorax on postoperative chest films. Minor complications, which were found in 7.1% of the patients, included small bleeds, wound infection, and subcutaneous emphysema. Tracheostomy-associated death occurred in 2 patients (0.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Routine postoperative chest radiography is unnecessary after adult tracheotomy. Chest radiography may be indicated by clinically suspicious signs or symptoms.
Hamburger
M D
MD
Division of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore 21201, USA.
Wolf
J S
JS
Berry
J A
JA
Molter
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010038:Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors; D014140:Tracheotomy; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures