[Awake percutaneous tracheostomy in neurosurgical patients: clinical cases and literature review].

Transoral or combined transnasal-transoral approach is sometimes used for tumor resection in patients with skull base and vertebral neoplasms. In such cases, percutaneous tracheostomy before surgical intervention is advisable. Tracheostomy facilitates surgical access, eliminates intraoperative risk of endotracheal tube kinking and provides airway protection from aspiration in early postoperative period in case of bulbar disorders, hypopharynx and tongue edema. The authors present two patients with massive proliferation of pathological tissue in nasopharynx and oropharynx that excluded tracheal intubation before tracheostomy. These patients underwent awake percutaneous tracheostomy.