A tracheostomy gives you a new pathway for air to go in and out of your lungs. To create this pathway, you need surgery to make a small opening in your neck. A tracheostomy tube is then placed into this opening.
Learn steps for living with a tracheostomy to ensure it stays working well and infection free. Also, learn circumstances for which you should call your healthcare provider or 911.
If your surgeon has given you a new airway during surgery, it may be in place for only a short time while you heal. Or if your larynx has been removed, you'll continue breathing through this new airway. In either case, your healthcare team will help you adjust.
