[Reaction of the trachea after long-term presence of a tracheostomy cannula in an experiment]

Abstract

The authors investigated in two groups of animals (rabbits, goats) the influence of the prolonged presence of a cannula in the trachea. The greatest differences were found in all groups of animals in the area of the stoma. In rabbits with the period of cannulation the originally slightly suppurative inflammation of the wall and adventitia changed gradually into a non-suppurative inflammation which reduced and disappeared at the end of the experiment. In the group of goats the proliferative exudative inflammation near the stoma with a predominance of leucocytes persisted, while in a more peripheral direction from the stoma the inflammation became non-suppurative with a predominance of mononuclear cells. The prolonged presence of a plastic cannula without a cuff thus did not induce a situation leading to permanent anatomical stenosis.