Comparison of patients undergoing tracheostomy with and without fiberoptic bronchoscopy Tracheostomy with and without fiberoptic bronchoscopy

Aim: Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is increasingly being used during tracheostomy, especially in critically ill patients. In this study, we aimed to compare tracheostomy with and without fiberoptic bronchoscopy in terms of procedure time, blood gas values and complications. Material and Methods: Sixty patients were randomly divided into two groups with 30 in each. Patients who underwent tracheostomy with fiberoptic bronchoscopy were included in Group 1, and without fiberoptic bronchoscopy in Group 2. Patients' age, weight, body mass index, gender, height values, time of tracheostomy (time from skin incision to successful insertion of the cannula), complications, blood gas parameters, length of stay in the intensive care unit and complications were recorded. Results: The two groups did not differ statistically in terms of demographic data, body mass index and Glascow coma score, length of stay in the intensive care unit, days of stay in the intensive care unit before percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy, status of the person who performed the procedure, complications, and blood gases values in both groups. Although rates of complications detected in Group 2 were not statistically significant The increase in post tracheostomy oxygen saturation and PaO2 in Group 2 was statistically significant The duration of the procedure was longer with bronchoscopy. Discussion: It was shown that fiberoptic bronchoscopy-assisted tracheostomy increased the duration of the procedure, but the complications were similar. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy-assisted tracheostomy can be used safely and effectively.