Early complications of percutaneous tracheostomy using the Griggs method

Sa？etak This article presents our observations and experiences with the Griggs method of percutaneous dilation tracheostomy (PTD). We performed 200 tracheostomies on neurosurgical and surgical patients who needed temporary ventilatory support and protection. Early complications were defined and registered. Frequency of early complications was 22,5 %. The majority of complications were minor and improved quickly. Therefore, PTD was shown to be a safe and appropriate technique for patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Unfortunately, lack of standardization and defined criteria deprive the opportunity for good comparisons between the Griggs method and other PTD methods