Major cellulitis following percutaneous tracheostomy

Abstract

Percutaneous tracheostomy, a technique that can be performed at the bedside in the intensive care unit (ICU), is increasingly used for critically ill ventilator-dependent patients. Based on many clinical studies, this procedure appears to be simple, rapid and safer than conventional surgical tracheostomy. This technique produces a stoma tissue tract that fits snugly around the cannula, and this could explain the low incidence of infective complications. However, we report two cases of life-threatening cellulitis, a serious complication that has rarely been reported previously.