Table 4.

Long-term complications in a subgroup of the study population (n = 171 of total population) that have a follow-up of 2 weeks or more, and a ‘high-risk’ subgroup (n = 107) also with a follow-up of 2 weeks or more

Complication	PDT (n = 87)	ST (n = 84)	p value*
Long-term complications
Tracheal stenosis	n = 3 (3.4%)	n = 4 (4.8%)	0.665
Swallowing disorders	n = 2 (2.3%)	n = 1 (1.2%)	0.581
Voice complaints	n = 1 (1.1%)	n = 0 (0.0%)	0.324
Scarring	n = 1 (1.1%)	n = 9 (10.7%)	0.014

Complication	PDT (n = 14)	ST (n = 93)	p value*
Long-term complications in ‘high-risk’ subgroup
Tracheal stenosis	n = 0 (0%)	n = 4 (4.3%)	0.429
Swallowing	n = 0 (0%)	n = 4 (4.3%)	0.429
Voice complaints	n = 0 (0%)	n = 3 (3.2%)	0.495
Scarring	n = 2 (14.3%)	n = 6 (6.5%)	0.299

PDT percutaneous dilatation tracheotomy, ST surgical tracheotomy

*The Chi-squared test was used for ordinal data