TABLE 1.
Admitting medical diagnoses and primary indication for tracheostomy
| Diagnostic Category (n=116) |
N(Valid %) |
|---|---|
| Pulmonary | 68(59%) |
| Cardiac | 16(14%) |
| Gastrointestinal | 9(8%) |
| Neurological & Neuromuscular | 5(4%) |
| Oncology | 4(3%) |
| Sepsis/Infection | 6(5%) |
| Other1 | 8(7%) |
| Primary Indications for Tracheostomy2 (n=22) | n(%) |
| Respiratory failure | 24(21%) |
| Pneumonia | 3(3%) |
| Respiratory arrest | 2(2%) |
| Respiratory distress/shortness of breath/dyspnea | 27(23%) |
| Airway protection | 5(4%) |
| Tachypnea | 3(3%) |
1
“Other” includes shock/hypotension, surgery (non-cardiac), trauma, and vascular
2
Up to three indications given