Endoscopy and Tracheotomy in the Neonatal Period

Abstract

The charts of 124 patients who underwent endoscopy as neonates during the period from 1967 to 1976 were reviewed. Twenty-nine of these patients (23.4%) had tracheotomies performed during the first month of life; analysis of this group also is included. Three hundred and ninety-two otolaryngological procedures were performed and included direct laryngoscopy (175), bronchoscopy (91), esophagoscopy (37), tracheotomy (29), bronchial lavage (14), change of tracheotomy tube (14), esophageal dilatation (13), incision and drainage of cyst (14), removal of tracheal granuloma (3), laryngeal dilatation (1), and bronchial dilatation (1). Two hundred and forty-nine lesions were found of which 146 were laryngeal, 44 tracheobronchial, 33 esophageal, 16 craniofacial, and 10 were orohypopharyngeal. Procedures were performed under general anesthesia and no anesthetic complications occurred. Surgical complications in the neonatal period were few and never life-threatening. In the nontracheotomized group two complications were found; 38% of this group was discharged within one day of endoscopy. In the tracheotomized group eight complications occurred; none were fatal. In many cases endoscopy proved to be essential in making the specific diagnosis.