Complications – Trach Resource

Case Study: A 68-year old male presented to the Emergency Department with a progressively enlarging right neck mass, new dyspnea, dysphagia, and hoarse voice.

Tracheostomy is a commonly performed procedure indicated for facilitation of prolonged ventilatory support, relief of upper airway obstruction and management of secretions. Postoperative complications may arise and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality1. It has been shown that health care professionals lack knowledge in the management of displaced tracheostomy tubes.2 A 68-year old

Complications During Tube Replacement

Originally published on June 23, 2010 C.L. asks, "What are the chances of esophageal or tracheal rupture, or subcutaneous emphysema with reinsertion of a dislodged tracheostomy tube?" Answer: I have never encountered esophageal nor tracheal rupture during reinsertion of a dislodged tube. Nor am I aware of any reports in the literature. Theoretically, it could

Bloody Secretions

Originally published on October 5, 2010 B.L. asks, "What should I do if the secretions become bloody? Am I suctioning too much?" Answer: Secretions can become bloody because of tracheal irritation. And yes, this can be caused by frequent tracheal suctioning or strong coughing. However, the presence of bloody secretions should not cause you to

Tracheal Bleeding

W.C. asks, "I've noticed a small amount of bleeding from my trach recently. Should I be worried?" Answer: The two most frequent causes of tracheal bleeding are due to frequent suctioning and lack of humidity. Regarding frequent suctioning, one should not decrease the frequency of suctioning just because of the appearance of some blood. Rather, this