General Information about Tracheostomy
Tracheostomy (Tray-kee-AH-stuh-mee) is a surgical opening in the trachea (windpipe) that forms a temporary or permanent opening to make breathing easier.
The terms "tracheotomy" and "tracheostomy" are used interchangeably. The opening is called a stoma.
A tracheotomy tube is inserted in the opening to keep it open.
Emergency tracheostomy is performed as a lifesaving procedure
History:
- Tracheostomy in early days was considered slashing of the neck to save a life.
- Even though tracheostomy procedure existed right from the Rig Vedas it was
- In 1718 that Lorenz Heister coined the term tracheotomy
- In 1921 Chevalier Jackson described the indications and techniques for modern tracheostomy.
