title: What about the trach? Tracheotomy removal as a palliative care maneuver.
abstract: Tracheotomy is performed on patients with airway obstruction or prolonged mechanical ventilation. Tracheotomy patients are increasingly being referred to hospice and palliative care. This case series describes a process for evaluating the ongoing need for tracheotomy and the impact of tracheotomy removal. A retrospective cohort design was used in which charts were reviewed of all tracheotomy patients referred to the palliative care unit between November 1, 1998, and July 31, 2001. Tracheotomy was present in 13 of 791 palliative care unit admissions. Persistent airway obstruction contraindicated tracheotomy removal in 5 patients. The remaining patients had a successful "button" trial with subsequent tracheotomy removal. They incurred no complications and exhibited improved functional status and decreased symptom burden. Tracheotomy removal is safe and beneficial in this patient subset and should be considered an alternative to prolonged tracheotomy.
authors.affiliation: Matthews Hematology Oncology Associates, Matthews, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Alfred J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kvale
authors.forename: Beverly R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: F Amos
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000407:Alabama; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods*; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D018579:Patient Selection; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012449:Safety; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D014140:Tracheotomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015300:Ventilator Weaning / Q000379:methods