Tracheotome

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A tracheotome is a medical instrument used to perform an incision in the trachea with a cutting blade operated by a powered cannula. It is often called a tracheostomy tube because once it enters the stoma in the trachea, a breathing tube is connected to a ventilator and oxygen is provided to the lungs.

Contents

There are different types of tracheotomes. They can be made of metal, plastic or silicone. Plastic and silicone are widely used since they reduce the complications from the tracheotomy procedure such as subglottic stenosis and erosion of large blood vessels. [1]

History

The tracheostomy procedure is an ancient medical procedure which dates back to 2000 BC. [2] There are some records of physicians performing tracheostomy to save the lives of children and sick people from choking. [1] However, several complications were also common after the procedure was performed due to the severity of the infections and other diseases causing the oxygen obstruction. It was not until the mid 1900s that this medical tool was improved. The introduction of the mechanized tracheotome illustrates how the procedure and the device were improved. The introduction of the mechanized tracheotome by Joseph John Amato in 1972, North Riverside, provided a quicker, cleaner and precise cut which reduced the possibility of tissue damage and infection. [3] Previous procedures for tracheotomy were being implemented at the time, but many would lead to severe complications and were difficult to operate. Most of them required special skills and well trained practitioners.

Types of tracheotomes

Mechanized tracheotome

The mechanized tracheotome consisted of a staple, cutting blade, specialized plunger and a motor unit. Once the staple was fixed to the neck of the patient, the blade moved forward the skin, fascia and trachea to perform the incision. [3] Then, a plunger moved forward and then backward to hold the tissues . [3] Later, the tracheotome was removed from the patient and only the staple remained in the neck to maintain the trachea open. These were the innovative features of the mechanized tracheotome which were different from the tracheotomes at the time. It was either spring or gas-powered operated. [3]

Spring operated tracheotome

Other tracheotomes such as the spring operated tracheotome designed by Adamson Howard in 1985, Florida, improved the design by reducing the size and including a rotatable adjustable cap at the mount of the tracheotome to control the depth of penetration in the incision. Its handle also allowed the recocking of the spring operated cutting blade. [4]

Other adaptations

Leslie William Peterson also made significant contributions to the improvement of the tracheostome. In 2006, his tracheal tube/catheter adaptor cap was introduced and consisted in a cap with two separate projections that allowed the catheter to be in position and prevent their rotation. It also provided heated and/or humidified gas to patients dependent on the breathing machine. [5]

Once the incisions are made by the tracheotome and the stomas are accessible, tracheotome tubes are placed in the trachea to provide oxygen to the lungs. Tubes have also been improved to reduce complications of infection and tissue damage. For instance, Alain Milhay from Amiens, France, invented a tracheotomy tube with shield for anesthesia in 1983. This tube included a conduit for passing on anesthesia and ventilation gases. At the time, other tubes were also implemented for anesthesia application but their material composition was toxic and could give off caustic or toxic vapors. [6]

Advantages

Tracheotomes became very inexpensive medical tools and easy devices to operate. The use of tracheotomes provides immediate oxygen supplies to patients by bypassing obstructions in the upper airway. [7] Tracheotomes provide another alternative for airflow when there are glottic pathological conditions such as neoplasm and bilateral vocal cord paralysis. [2] Also, air obstruction due to neck trauma and facial fracture can be alleviated with the tracheotome incision and oxygen supply.

Complications

Patients may develop different complications after the incision is made with the tracheotome. Although these may be rare, bleeding, air obstruction, damage to the larynx, change of voice, infection, impaired swallowing and permanent scars may occur. [7] This is why the procedure is only performed in case of emergency. [7] Vessels such as the carotid arteries or internal jugular veins could also be damaged if the incision and penetration of the blade is not accurate, with a higher risk in children and obese patients. [2]

Tracheotome tubes used in conjunction with tracheotomes

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracheal intubation</span> Placement of a tube into the trachea

Tracheal intubation, usually simply referred to as intubation, is the placement of a flexible plastic tube into the trachea (windpipe) to maintain an open airway or to serve as a conduit through which to administer certain drugs. It is frequently performed in critically injured, ill, or anesthetized patients to facilitate ventilation of the lungs, including mechanical ventilation, and to prevent the possibility of asphyxiation or airway obstruction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracheotomy</span> Temporary surgical incision to create an airway into the trachea

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannula</span> Tube surgically implanted in the body

A cannula is a tube that can be inserted into the body, often for the delivery or removal of fluid or for the gathering of samples. In simple terms, a cannula can surround the inner or outer surfaces of a trocar needle thus extending the effective needle length by at least half the length of the original needle. Its size mainly ranges from 14 to 26 gauge. Different-sized cannula have different colours as coded.

A tracheal tube is a catheter that is inserted into the trachea for the primary purpose of establishing and maintaining a patent airway and to ensure the adequate exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airway management</span> Medical procedure ensuring an unobstructed airway

Airway management includes a set of maneuvers and medical procedures performed to prevent and relieve airway obstruction. This ensures an open pathway for gas exchange between a patient's lungs and the atmosphere. This is accomplished by either clearing a previously obstructed airway; or by preventing airway obstruction in cases such as anaphylaxis, the obtunded patient, or medical sedation. Airway obstruction can be caused by the tongue, foreign objects, the tissues of the airway itself, and bodily fluids such as blood and gastric contents (aspiration).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Respiratory arrest</span> Medical condition

Respiratory arrest is a serious medical condition caused by apnea or respiratory dysfunction severe enough that it will not sustain the body. Prolonged apnea refers to a patient who has stopped breathing for a long period of time. If the heart muscle contraction is intact, the condition is known as respiratory arrest. An abrupt stop of pulmonary gas exchange lasting for more than five minutes may permanently damage vital organs, especially the brain. Lack of oxygen to the brain causes loss of consciousness. Brain injury is likely if respiratory arrest goes untreated for more than three minutes, and death is almost certain if more than five minutes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peripherally inserted central catheter</span> Catheter intended for long periods of use

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cricothyrotomy</span> Incision of the skin and cricothyroid membrane to establish a clear airway

A cricothyrotomy is an incision made through the skin and cricothyroid membrane to establish a patent airway during certain life-threatening situations, such as airway obstruction by a foreign body, angioedema, or massive facial trauma. Cricothyrotomy is nearly always performed as a last resort in cases where other means of tracheal intubation are impossible or impractical. Compared with tracheotomy, cricothyrotomy is quicker and easier to perform, does not require manipulation of the cervical spine, and is associated with fewer complications. However, while cricothyrotomy may be life-saving in extreme circumstances, this technique is only intended to be a temporizing measure until a definitive airway can be established.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Subglottic stenosis</span> Medical condition

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronchoscopy</span> Procedure allowing a physician to look at a patients airways

Bronchoscopy is an endoscopic technique of visualizing the inside of the airways for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. An instrument (bronchoscope) is inserted into the airways, usually through the nose or mouth, or occasionally through a tracheostomy. This allows the practitioner to examine the patient's airways for abnormalities such as foreign bodies, bleeding, tumors, or inflammation. Specimens may be taken from inside the lungs. The construction of bronchoscopes ranges from rigid metal tubes with attached lighting devices to flexible optical fiber instruments with realtime video equipment.

Following is a list of instruments used in the practice of anesthesia

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracheobronchial injury</span> Damage to the tracheobronchial tree

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urethrostomy</span>

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Cholecystostomy is a procedure where a stoma is created in the gallbladder, which can facilitate placement of a tube for drainage, first performed by American surgeon, Dr. John Stough Bobbs, in 1867. It is sometimes used in cases of cholecystitis where the person is ill, and there is a need to delay or defer cholecystectomy. The first endoscopic cholecystostomy was performed by Drs. Todd Baron and Mark Topazian in 2007 using ultrasound guidance to puncture the stomach wall and place a plastic biliary catheter for gallbladder drainage.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surgical airway management</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Advanced airway management</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracheoinnominate fistula</span> Medical condition

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References

  1. 1 2 Types of Tracheostomy Tubes. Aaron's Tracheostomy Page. 2004. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 Lindman, Jonathan. 2009. Tracheostomy. Department of Otolaryngology, ENT Care Associates.
  3. 1 2 3 4 [Amato, Joseph. 1969. Mechanized Tracheotome [ permanent dead link ]. North Riverside, Illinois.
  4. [Howard, Adamson. 1985. Spring Operated Tracheotome Archived 2011-06-12 at the Wayback Machine . Margate, Florida.
  5. [Peterson, Leslie. 2006. Tracheal Tube/Tracheal Catheter Adaptor Cap Archived 2011-06-12 at the Wayback Machine . Castle Rock, CO.
  6. [Milhay, Alain. 1983. Tracheotomy Tube with Shield for Anesthesia Archived 2011-06-12 at the Wayback Machine . Amiens, France.
  7. 1 2 3 Tracheostomy, Balentine, Jerry. Medicine Net. Retrieved November 22, 2009.