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Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2001;127:223-225.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Dr Bikhazi provides a nonbiased review of the literature regarding the status of percutaneous tracheotomy. He concludes that each surgeon must use the information to make his or her own decision regarding the safety and efficacy of this technique.

Figure appears in full text version. Mary A. Fazekas-May, MD

Percutaneous tracheotomy is not a new technique but was first proposed by Sheldon et al¹ in 1957. This technique involved blind cannulation of the trachea with a sharp-bladed instrument and did not achieve a great deal of popularity. In 1969, Toye and Weinstein² advocated a single dilator technique. But it was not until 1985 when Ciaglia and colleagues³ described a progressive dilational technique over a Seldinger wire that the procedure achieved acceptance.

Controversy exists regarding the safety and efficacy of percutaneous tracheotomy. The literature is replete with studies documenting increased complications and mortality associated with percutaneous tracheotomy compared with standard open tracheotomy. The literature also contains a . . . [Full Text of this Article]