What Is a Percutaneous Tracheostomy?
A percutaneous tracheostomy is a procedure which is used to secure airway access in a patient. It is the less invasive of two methods which can be used to create a tracheostomy, a hole in the trachea which can be used to help a patient breathe. Such procedures may be performed to provide temporary relief or for the purpose of developing a permanently secured airway for the patient.
A percutaneous tracheostomy is a procedure which is used to secure airway access in a patient. It is the less invasive of two methods which can be used to create a tracheostomy, a hole in the trachea which can be used to help a patient breathe. Such procedures may be performed to provide temporary relief or for the purpose of developing a permanently secured airway for the patient. The tracheostomy is one of the oldest known surgical procedures. Texts dating back thousands of years document the practice of making holes in the throat and inserting tubes so that people can breathe when they are unable to do so through their mouths. Historically, this procedure was performed surgically, by cutting into the throat, dissecting down to reach the trachea, making a hole, and then inserting a tube, and this is still one option for the procedure which may be used in some cases.
