title: A new simple method for percutaneous tracheostomy: controlled rotating dilation. A preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe and introduce a new technique for percutaneous dilational tracheostomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open, observational clinical trial in patients requiring an elective tracheostomy in two intensive care units of university hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty (25/25) consecutive patients requiring an elective tracheostomy above 18 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Performance of a percutaneous dilational tracheostomy with a specially designed screw-type dilator, using a thread for the dilation procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 50 consecutive patients the new device allowed a quick and safe dilation procedure without any serious bleeding complications or other relevant procedural-related side effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The described new percutaneous dilational tracheostomy device (PercuTwist, Rüsch, Kernen, Germany) represents a single-step method with a high degree of control during dilation. So far, it appears to be a safe, quickly performed procedure with a strikingly low incidence of even small bleeding complications, thus offering an interesting new alternative for the performance of a percutaneous tracheostomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Spedali Civili Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frova
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quintel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004106:Dilatation; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D011184:Postoperative Period; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods