Indications and time of tracheotomy in burn patients with inhalation injury

Objective To determine indications and time of tracheotomy in the burned patients with inhalation injury. Methods A retrospective case study was performed in 174 burn patients with inhalation injury from January 1989 to December 2000. Results All patients initially underwent tracheotomy and bronchofiberscopy after admission. The range of age was 10 to 72 years,and percent of total burned body surface was 3% to 100%.Forty -one of 174 patients were dead. One hundred and two tracheotomies were performed within 8h postburn,twenty-seven within 9h to 16h,twenty-one within 17h to 24h,ten within 25h to 48h,and fourteen more than 49h postburn.When examined by bronchofiberscopy,Thirty of 174 patients were mild inhalation injury,sixty-nine were moderate,and seventy-five were severe. Conclusion The indications of tracheotomy in the patients suffered from severe burned face and neck combined with inhalation injury in close space should be wide.Tracheotomy has significant preventive and therapeutic effects within 24 hours postburn.