National recommendations for tracheotomy and tracheostomy care. Consensus for safe tracheostomy care of adult patients

This article describes new Swedish guidelines for the care of adult patients having a tracheostomy. A national expert panel of ENT and anaesthesiology specialists appointed by each national specialist association reviewed fatal patient cases involving tracheostomy failure as well as national and international guidelines to produce a "best of practice" document. The main recommendation is that the health care provider has the full responsibility to ensure that the combined surgical competence at the hospital can handle acute airway problems also under difficult anatomical conditions. The distribution of percutaneous and surgical tracheotomy should be weighted to ensure the competence in both.