title: Clinical outcomes of tracheoesophageal diversion for intractable aspiration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study was to examine the clinical outcomes of using tracheoesophageal diversion for preventing intractable aspiration.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed 25 patients who underwent tracheoesophageal diversion from 2003 to 2009 at our hospital (median age, 25 years; range, 0-78 years). End-to-side anastomosis was used in 16 cases and side-to-side anastomosis was used in 9.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average operative time was 141 minutes for end-to-side anastomosis and 191 minutes for side-to-side anastomosis. Peri-operative complications were observed in only two (8 per cent) cases: one with infection and one with haematoma. No fistulas were observed. Aspiration was prevented in all cases, but the nutritional route depended on the swallowing function of the patient. Oral feeding was the main nutritional route after surgery in only four patients (16 per cent).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This procedure is well suited to patients who lack speech communication and are at high risk of aspiration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University,Fukuoka,Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University,Fukuoka,Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Umezaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University,Fukuoka,Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiyohara
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University,Fukuoka,Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyaji
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University,Fukuoka,Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Komune
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000601:surgery; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018529:Nutritional Support; D061646:Operative Time; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014132:Trachea / Q000601:surgery*; D014140:Tracheotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Tracheotomy