Pediatric Tracheostomy-Related Complications: A Cross-sectional Analysis

Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022 Aug;167(2):359-365. doi: 10.1177/01945998211046527. Epub 2021 Sep 14.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the rate of tracheostomy-related complications in pediatric patients from nationally representative databases.

Study design: Cross-sectional analysis.

Setting: 2016 Kids' Inpatient Database and 2016 Nationwide Readmission Database.

Methods: All pediatric tracheostomy procedures were included. Complication type, admission outcomes, and readmission rates were recorded with a logistic regression analysis to determine patient characteristics associated with complications.

Results: An estimated 5309 tracheostomies were performed among pediatric patients in 2016, 8% (n = 432) of whom developed tracheostomy-related complications. This group was younger (4.7 vs 8.7 years, P < .001) and required longer hospital admissions (68.7 vs 33.2 days, P < .001) than children without tracheostomy-related complications. Mean costs ($459,324 vs $397,937, P < .001) and mean total charges ($1,573,964 vs $1,099,347, P < .001) were increased if a tracheostomy-related complication occurred. These events occurred more often in those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (24% vs 12%, P < .001), heart disease (24% vs 12%, P = .001), gastroesophageal reflux disease (31% vs 19%, P < .001), short gestational age (24% vs 14%, P < .001), and subglottic stenosis (9.9% vs 5.4%, P = .001). The estimated 30-day readmission rate was 24% (SE, 1.7%) but did not increase after tracheostomy complications (27% vs 15%, P = .04). Tracheostomy-related complications were predicted by gastroesophageal reflux disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.50; 95% CI, 1.14-1.97; P = .004), younger age (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.04-1.22; P = .002), and lengthier hospitalization (OR, 1.00; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01; P < .001) on multiple logistic regression analysis.

Conclusion: Tracheostomy-related complications occur in approximately 8% of pediatric patients and are higher in younger children or those with longer admission lengths. These data have implications for benchmarking standards of posttracheostomy complications across institutions.

Keywords: patient safety and quality improvement; pediatric tracheostomy; tracheostomy outcomes; tracheostomy-related complications.

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Gastroesophageal Reflux*
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Patient Readmission
  • Postoperative Complications / epidemiology
  • Postoperative Complications / etiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tracheostomy* / adverse effects