Study Design
A retrospective chart review was performed on patients >18
years old who underwent a tracheostomy from January 2017 through
December 2018 at an academic cancer center. Exclusion criteria for the
patient cohort included presence of stomaplasty, total laryngectomy, and
tracheostomies performed at outside hospitals. These parameters
identified 321 eligible patients. Each medical record was reviewed to
assess the tracheostomy technique used, post-operative course, and
patient demographics and comorbidities. Specific comorbidities evaluated
were body mass index, use of anticoagulation, prior chemoradiation, and
history of obstructive pulmonary diseases such as COPD, OSA, and asthma.
The research question for this study focused on patients with pulmonary
disease processes such as asthma, COPD, and OSA. Other variables were
collected for a comprehensive analysis and for statistical evaluation
models.