Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the different techniques of percutaneous tracheostomies, their advantages, drawbacks, complications and to compare them to standard surgical tracheostomies. This study will consider only elective (non emergency) bedside procedures in intensive care units. ⋯ Since there has been a great deal of percutaneous tracheostomy in the intensive care units, the incidence of tracheostomy have increased in those services. There is a trend to replace the surgical procedure by the percutaneous one. However, according to the potentially jeopardizing complications, percutaneous tracheostomy should be done by an experienced operator with the help of a continuous endoscopic guidance.