en Anesthesiology Anesthesiology Original Article Original Article <span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><span style="color:#0000ff;"><strong><em>Background:</em></strong></span> Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) is a common surgical procedure in the ICU. The present study was conducted to compare semi-surgical percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (SSPDT) with conventional percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (CPDT).<br> <span style="color:#0000ff;"><strong><em>Methods:</em></strong></span> The present randomized clinical trial was conducted on 160 patients hospitalized in the medical intensive care units (ICUs) with an indication for tracheostomy and were systematically divided into two equal groups of 80. In the CPDT group, after a small incision, a 16-gauge needle was blindly inserted into the trachea and the guidewire was placed inside the lumen. A stoma was created by passing a single dilator over the guidewire. In the SSPDT group, a transverse incision (2 cm) was made 1 cm below the cricoid, and the tracheal ring was then fully reached by releasing the subcutaneous tissues using the index figure, and PDT was then performed. The two groups were compared in terms of their tracheostomy complications (including bleeding, pneumothorax, stoma infection and accidental decannulation) and duration of the procedure.<br> <span style="color:#0000ff;"><strong><em>Results:</em></strong></span> The two groups were homogeneous in terms of age, gender, mean APACHE score (P>0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the mean time from tracheal intubation to tracheostomy (P=0.869). The duration of the procedure was 5.16&plusmn;1.72 minutes in the SSPDT group and 6.42&plusmn;1.71 in the CPDT group (P<0.001). The complication rate was 7(8.75%) in the SSPDT group and 16(20%) in the CPDT group (P=0.043).<br> <span style="color:#0000ff;"><strong><em>Conclusion:</em></strong></span> SSPDT is safer and has fewer complications than CPDT in ICU patients.</span></span> Intensive Care Unit, Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy, Complications 249 255 http://caspjim.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-756-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Novin Nikbakhsh nikbakhsh.n@mubabol.ac.ir 100319475328460029315 100319475328460029315 No Department of Surgery, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Fatemeh Amri rohanresearch88@gmail.com 100319475328460029316 100319475328460029316 No Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Mahmood Monadi Dr.monadi@yahoo.com 100319475328460029317 100319475328460029317 No Department of Internal Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Parviz Amri pamrimaleh@gmail.com 100319475328460029318 100319475328460029318 Yes Clinical Research Development Unit of Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran Ali Bijani drbijani@yahoo.com 100319475328460029319 100319475328460029319 No Mobility Impairment Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran