1. Indications for Tracheostomy in Northern Ghana
Dr. Michael C. Damah,
Dr. Theophilus Adjeso, Dr. James Murphy

2. BACKGROUND
Important surgical procedure in maintaining a patent airway in the patient requiring an alternate airway.
In Northern Ghana,
late presentation
referrals to the TTH.
This study reviews the tracheostomies performed at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

3. AIM
To assess the indications for tracheostomy at the Tamale Teaching Hospital

4. MATERIALS AND METHODS
3½ year retrospective study (January June 2016).
Patients managed with an open surgical tracheostomy by the ENT Unit of the Department of Surgery, Tamale Teaching Hospital in the Northern Region of Ghana.
Data of patients who had a tracheostomy in the study period were retrieved from theatre records.
Data on Age, Sex, Indication for tracheostomy, Underlying
cause and Type of tracheostomy were taken.

5. RESULTS
36 patients had open surgical tracheostomy.

6. Male to Female ratio of 1.8:1.

7. The ages ranged from 3 years to 75 years with a mean age of 38.6 years. Under 5’s were 5%.

9. 94. 4% of the cases were emergencies, and only 5
94.4% of the cases were emergencies, and only 5.6% were elective cases. Upper airway obstruction was the indication for all the emergency tracheostomies performed.

10. Deep neck space infections resulting in upper airway obstruction accounted for 38.9% of tracheostomies performed, followed by Malignant neoplasms 33.3%, Trauma 13.9% (i.e. Cut-throat and road traffic accidents) and Benign neoplasms 5.6%.

11. CONCLUSION
Upper Airway Obstruction secondary to deep neck space infections is the main indication for tracheostomy in Northern Ghana.