Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 16, 249-252, Copyright © 1969 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Tracheostomy in Children with Croup: A Retrospective Study of the Mortality and Morbidity at the Hartford Hospital

¹ Department of Surgery, Division of Paediatric Surgery, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, Connecticut

1. Of 373 cases of croup, 6.9 per cent were operated on with a mortality of 7.6 per cent and morbidity of 11.5 per cent.

2. There is a great need for careful, constant evaluation of the child with croup and prompt operation should fatigue, irritability, and increasing pulse rate develop.

3. Endotracheal intubation should be carried out as the initial emergency step.

4. Tracheostomy should be performed in the operating room with adequate anaesthesia, assistance, exposure, and time.

5. We do not feel there is an indication at our hospital for changing to prolonged nasotracheal intubation in the treatment of upper airway respiratory distress, and we would recommend that other hospitals similar to ours evaluate their existing results prior to changing.