Tracheostomy

Creator: Dr. Vivek
Keywords: Tracheostomy, Patient, Neck, Pillow, Shoulder, Local anaesthesia, Transverse, Skin, Incision, Scalpel, Trachea, Tube, Cuff, Necktie, Sutures, Dressings

Written by Dr. Vivek | Medically Reviewed by Dr. Sunil Shroff, MBBS, MS, FRCS (UK), D. Urol (Lond) on May 04, 2016

Font : A-A+

Tracheostomy - Procedure

The patient is made to lie down on their back with the neck & head extended by keeping a pillow under the shoulder and neck.
Local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia is used for the procedure.
A horizontal cut is made across the neck above the 'sternal notch' using a knife.

The skin is separated and surrounding tissues are dissected to expose the trachea.
The 2nd or 3rd of the tracheal ring is incised for the tracheostomy tube to be placed.
A suitable size tracheostomy tube is then introduced inside. While choosing the tube, the smallest feasible tube should be used. A general rule is that the tube should be three fourths of the diameter of the trachea.
The cuff of the tube is inflated by using 2-5 ml of air and it is held in place by using a necktie.
The incision is closed using skin sutures by the side of the tracheostomy tube.
Dressing is applied for the wound to heal.

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