The factors related to infectious complications after tracheoplasty for congenital tracheal stenosis (CTS) remain unclear; we, therefore, assessed these factors in this study.
We divided 47 patients who underwent slide tracheostomy and tracheal resection for CTS between May 2016 and December 2020 into an infected group and a non-infected group. Their characteristics were compared between groups. Results are presented as the median (range) or incidence.
Infectious complications were observed in 12 patients (25.5%). Empyema and mediastinitis were seen in 5 cases (10.6%). There was a significant difference in the following factors in the infected and non-infected groups, respectively: weight, 5457 (2868–20,750) g and 6554 (2275–20,800) g (p = 0.025); surgical time, 575.5 (313–646) min and 349 (270–651) min (p < 0.001); extracorporeal circulation time, 303.5 (186–610) min and 216 (117–478) min (p = 0.001); and postoperative intubation time, 13 (7–28) days, and 6 (5–22) days (p < 0.001). Age, malnutrition, cardiovascular comorbidities, and preoperative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus detection were not significantly different between the two groups.
There were a few serious infectious complications and no perioperative deaths. Attention should be paid to low body weight, long surgical and extracorporeal circulation time, and intubation time in relation to infectious complications.
