Clinical Study of Tracheocutaneous Fistula

기관피부누공에 대한 임상적 고찰

The tracheocutaneous fistula(TCF) may develop infrequently as a complication after tracheostomy. Prolonged tracheostomy tube dependence increases the risk of TCF developing, and in growth of stratified squamous epithelium lines the furrow connecting the tracheal mucosa and the skin, accounting for persistence of the fistulous tract. Such fistulas are a nuisance and create nursing and social problems including poor hygiene, aspiration, difficulty with speech, and depletion of pulmonary reserve. Surgical closure has generally been successful by primary closure, fistulectomy with primary closure, and closure by secondary intention following excision of the tracheocutaneous fistula. No large series compares the efficacy of these techniques and each has its own merits. Recent literature has purposed to minimizing complications. For ten years, from January 1985 to December 1994, the authors experienced 25 cases of TCF which were analyzed in respect to incidence and interval of cannulation, duration between decanulation and fistular closure, precedent disease, closure methods, and complications of TCF repair.