We aimed to describe which clinical characteristics were associated with the outcome of tracheostomy in our tertiary care pediatric intensive care unit. This was a retrospective review of medical records of pediatric patients who underwent tracheostomy in our Pediatric Intensive Care unit from 2008 to 2014 in Turkey. Sixty-three patients were included the study. The median age of patients was 11 (range, 1-195) months. Twenty-five (39.7%) patients were female. The tracheostomy rate was 8.5% over a six-year period. Forty-nine (77.7%) patients were able to be discharged and sent home. The decannulation rate was 12.6% (n=8). The indications for tracheostomy were upper airway obstruction (n=9) and prolonged mechanical ventilation (n=54). The median intubation period before tracheostomy was 32 (range, 1-122) days and the median duration of pediatric intensive care unit stay after tracheostomy was 37 days. A total of 21 (52.5%) patients were weaned off mechanical ventilation. The rate of successful weaning from mechanical ventilation was higher in patients with upper airway obstruction than in those in the prolonged mechanical ventilation group (p=0.021). The complication rate was 25.3% in the pediatric intensive care unit and 11.1% at home. Tracheostomy seems safe and improves pediatric patients' outcomes. The most important factor that affects the prognosis of children who underwent tracheostomy is the indication for tracheostomy. The outcomes are always better if the tracheostomy has been performed because of upper airway obstruction. Performing tracheostomy helps weaning from and off ventilator support and finally the discharge of patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation from the pediatric intensive care unit setting.

Oral methanol intoxication is common, but dermal intoxication is rare. We report a previously healthy 19-month-old female infant admitted to the emergency department (ED) with vomiting and tonic-clonic seizure. On physical examination, she was comatose and presented signs of decompensated shock with Kussmaul breathing. Her left thigh was edematous, with purple coloration. Methanol intoxication was suspected due to high anion gap metabolic acidosis (pH, 6.89; HCO3, <3 meq/L) and exposure to spirit-soaked bandages (%96 methanol) for 24 hours and 3 days. The patient's serum methanol level was 20.4 mg/dL. She was treated with fomepizole and continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD) in the pediatric intensive care unit, and methanol levels decreased to 0 mg/dL after 12 hours. During follow-up, massive edema and subarachnoid hemorrhage in the occipital lobe were detected by computed tomography of the brain. The patient died after 7 days.Although methanol intoxication occurs predominantly in adults, it must be considered in children with high-anion gap metabolic acidosis. This case report demonstrates that fatal transdermal methanol intoxication can occur in children, and it is the second report in the English literature of transdermal methanol intoxication in an infant.

Laundry detergent pods (LDPs) are a new, concentrated form of detergent covered by a membrane of polyvinyl alcohol or other water-soluble material. In contrast to traditional laundry detergents, the spectrum of responses to exposure to LDPs ranges from mild to life-threatening events. This is a case report of a 3-year-old male who ingested part of an LDP, leading to a depressed level of consciousness, upper airway obstruction, and severe respiratory distress. The patient required intubation and mechanical ventilation for 2 days before being discharged. This rare, severe clinical pattern demonstrates the potential toxicity of these laundry detergents. In the literature, few cases that required intubation and ventilation have been reported. To our knowledge, this is also the first case of LDP exposure reported from Turkey.