To create a tracheostomy, your surgeon will make a cut through the lower front part of your neck. He or she will then make a cut in your trachea, or windpipe.
The surgeon will place a tube (called a trach tube) through the hole and into the windpipe. The tube will help keep the hole open. Some trach tubes are “cuffed.” Doctors can widen or narrow cuffed tubes by inflating or deflating them with air.
You may have a chest x ray to ensure the trach tube is placed correctly. The tube will then be held in place with stitches, surgical tape, or a Velcro band.
The procedure to make a tracheostomy usually takes between 20 and 45 minutes.