What To Know About A Tracheostomy? (1)

What is a tracheostomy?

A tracheotomy is a procedure that allows a healthcare professional to insert a tube into a patient's windpipe to assist with their breathing.

Sometimes, patients may experience reduced airflow in their lungs, which may be due to an injury or blockage in the windpipe. This condition may also be due to a disease that affects lung function or blood oxygen. Whatever the cause, a tracheotomy can help patients breathe.

A tracheotomy involves cutting an opening in the windpipe in the front of the neck. The doctor then inserts a tube into the opening, creating a temporary or permanent surgical airway.

Some people can breathe on their own with the tube. In other cases, doctors may need to connect the tube to a ventilator, or breathing machine.

Uses
Doctors may recommend a tracheotomy for people who cannot breathe adequately on their own.

This procedure may sometimes be necessary for people with the following conditions that may affect the flow of oxygen to the lungs:

Damage to the windpipe due to a blockage, injury, or radiation therapy

• Severe pneumonia
• Massive heart attack
• Severe stroke

Doctors may first try to assist breathing by inserting a tube called an endotracheal tube into the windpipe through the mouth.

For long-term machine-assisted breathing, a tracheotomy may be necessary.

Procedure
Doctors usually perform a tracheotomy in an emergency situation where a person cannot breathe. To perform the procedure, doctors cut open the trachea in the front of the neck. They then insert a tube into the opening and secure it in place with stitches or surgical tape.

The procedure takes about 20 to 45 minutes to complete.

Recovery
Some people can breathe on their own right after surgery, but others may need ventilator assistance in the intensive care unit.

Within a week after a tracheostomy, your trachea will heal. You may notice bleeding and scabs around the opening in your neck.

After a week, your doctor will replace the tracheostomy tube with a new one. You or your caregiver will receive instructions on how to remove, clean, and replace the tube at home. Regular cleaning helps prevent a buildup of mucus and debris that can cause blockages.

In some cases, a person who has had a tracheostomy may no longer need a tracheostomy tube. Physical therapy is needed to teach you how to breathe on your own again without the tube.

Once the tracheostomy tube is permanently removed, the surgical site will eventually close on its own.