Purpose: To observe of tracheostomy in patients have prolonged observational ventilation via intubation. Subjects - Methods: 49 patients with prolonged observational ventilation via intubation received tracheostomy at Gia Dinh Hospital. Across sectional observation study was carried out from April 2013 to April 2014. Results and discussions: The average time from intubation to tracheostomy was 11.8 +/- 6 days
most of patients have the period 7-14 days (51 percent). The operative complication: bleeding 2/49 patients (4.1 percent), damaged adjacent structures 3/49 patients (6.2 percent). Complications after tracheostomy: 3/49 bleeding (6.1 percent), tracheostomy canule obstructed 4/49 (8.2 percent), infection - cellulitis 1/49 (2 percent), tracheostomy canule displacement 2/49 (4.1 percent), subcutaneous emphysema 2/49 (4.1 percent). Replacement with double-barreled tracheostomy canule was 32 percent. Removal canule rate was 8.2 percent. Conclusions: the tracheostomy shoud be performed after 10 days of intubation. Guidelines for care of patients with a tracheostomy canule should be given to new nurses in the hospital as well as for relatives at home. Replacement of 2 barrel (with cuff or non-cuff) canule for patients after tracheostomy is suggested to indicate about 1-2 weeks after tracheostomy.