Tracheotomy is a very delicate procedure that involves making a tiny hole in the windpipe (trachea) through an incision on the skin of your neck (throat). The created opening is known as a stoma or tracheostomy when the skin has healed. To maintain the hole open, a tracheostomy tube is kept in the stoma. The tracheostomy is also referred to simply as the “trach.”

Patients are provided with one of two types of tracheostomy tubes:

• Single cannula trach tubes- These are typically used for youngsters,
• Dual cannula trach tubes- these have an inner cannula for cleaning.

A tracheostomy is performed for one of three reasons: to bypass a clogged upper airway, to clean and eliminate secretions from the airway, or to provide oxygen to the lungs more readily and safely.

All tracheostomies are done to prevent air from reaching the lungs. There are a variety of reasons why enough air does not reach the lungs.