Abdulaziz YALINKILIÇ, Eyyüp YÜREKTÜRK, Mehmet AYDIN, Burhan BEGER, Semra AĞIRBAŞ, Fehmi KAÇMAZ, Yaser Said ÇETİN, Adnan ERSEÇKİN, Orhan BEGER
Eastern Journal of Medicine (EJM) - 2026;31(1):80-85
This study aimed to evaluate the indications, timing, and clinical outcomes of pediatric tracheotomy cases managed at a single tertiary center over a 13-year period. A retrospective review was conducted of 110 pediatric patients (1 day -18 years) who underwent tracheotomy between 2010 and 2023. Demographic data, indications, tracheotomy timing (TIT), duration of hospitalization, complications, and mortality were analyzed. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and chi-square tests, with p<0.05 considered significant. Among 110 pediatric patients, 66 were male, and 44 were female. The most common indication for tracheotomy was prolonged mechanical ventilation (80.9%), followed by airway obstruction (19.1%), which was more frequent in newborns (p=0.004). Hospital stay duration and tracheotomy timing were significantly shorter in airway obstruction cases than in prolonged ventilation (p<0.001), with significant differences among age groups (p=0.008 and p<0.001). Overall mortality was 31.8%, predominantly among patients with congenital or neurological comorbidities; no statistically significant association was found between mortality and tracheotomy indication (p=0.445). Pediatric tracheotomy remains a safe and effective intervention when performed with appropriate timing and multidisciplinary care. Our study reveals that early tracheotomy does not impact mortality rates; however, it does shorten hospital stay duration and reduce complications.
