This retrospective study showed that transverse skin incisions in PTs for critically ill patients, resulted in a significant decrease in overall complications, particularly ulcers in the tracheostomy site.

Of the 458 patients who underwent PT, a vertical incision was made in 27.1% and a transverse incision was made in 72.9%.

There were no tracheostomy-related mortalities, and no significant difference in the incidence of immediate postoperative complications, including bleeding, tracheal ring fracture, and subcutaneous emphysema.

Patients who underwent PT between March 2011 and December 2015 in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary hospital were retrospectively included.

PTs were performed by pulmonary intensivists at the ICU bedside using the single tapered dilator technique assisted by flexible bronchoscopy.

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