Elective cricothyroidotomy.

Cricothyroidotomies instead of tracheostomies were performed in 61 adult patients over a period of two years. The indications were as for tracheostomy. The majority of the patients had severe trauma, respiratory problems and sepsis. The procedure was to be found easy and fast. There were no severe complications during or directly after the operation. Of the 23 surviving patients 7 were lost for follow up, 16 patients were reexamined 6 months after decannulation. No serious complications had developed, although 2 patients had minor granulation tissue formation at the stoma site and 1 had a minimal anterior narrowing of the subglottic region without granulation tissue. None of these patients needed treatment.