Shiley Trach Size Chart: Flexible and XLT Sizes, ID, OD and Length

This page gives general product information from the manufacturer’s published ordering tables. It is not medical advice and does not say which tube suits any person. Always check the labelling and instructions for use of the product you hold.

Shiley adult tracheostomy tubes are made by Medtronic in two main families that this page covers: Shiley Flexible (7 sizes, cuffed or cuffless) and Shiley XLT extended length (4 sizes, cuffed or cuffless, with proximal or distal extension). Every figure below comes from Medtronic’s own product pages, checked 2026-11-01. The two families do not share a numbering scheme, so the same digit means a different inner diameter in each.

Shiley Flexible adult size chart

All dimensions are in millimetres. Cuffed tubes have a TaperGuard cuff, and cuffless tubes carry identical dimensions. Medtronic lists one tube per box.

Size	Item (cuffed / cuffless, disposable inner cannula)	ID	OD	Inner cannula ID	Length	Cuff resting diameter (cuffed)
4	4CN65A / 4UN65A	6.5	9.4	5.5	62	20.6
5	5CN70A / 5UN70A	7.0	10.1	6.0	68	23
6	6CN75A / 6UN75A	7.5	10.8	6.5	74	25.4
7	7CN80A / 7UN80A	8.0	11.4	7.0	77	25.4
8	8CN85A / 8UN85A	8.5	12.2	7.5	79	26.6
9	9CN90A / 9UN90A	9.0	12.7	8.0	79	27.6
10	10CN10A / 10UN10A	10.0	13.8	9.0	79	28.6

Source: Medtronic, Shiley Flexible Adult Tracheostomy Tube, checked 2026-11-01.

Shiley XLT extended length size chart

Medtronic describes four adult sizes, cuffed and cuffless, with proximal or distal extension. Total length and outer diameter are the same for both extension types.

Size	Item (C = cuffed, U = cuffless)	ID	OD	Total length	Cuff diameter (cuffed)
50	50XLTC_ / 50XLTU_	5.0	9.6	90	29
60	60XLTC_ / 60XLTU_	6.0	11.0	95	31
70	70XLTC_ / 70XLTU_	7.0	12.3	100	35
80	80XLTC_ / 80XLTU_	8.0	13.3	105	35

The extension type changes how the total length is split. Medtronic lists proximal, radial and distal lengths in mm:

Size	Distal extension (XLTCD, XLTUD): proximal / radial / distal	Proximal extension (XLTCP, XLTUP): proximal / radial / distal
50	5 / 37 / 48	20 / 37 / 33
60	8 / 38 / 49	23 / 38 / 34
70	12 / 39 / 49	27 / 39 / 34
80	15 / 40 / 50	30 / 40 / 35

Source: Medtronic, Shiley XLT Extended Length Tracheostomy Tube, checked 2026-11-01. Which extension a patient needs is a clinical decision for their care team.

How to read the item numbers

Medtronic’s tables suggest a pattern, which is a reading aid and not a rule from the manufacturer: in Flexible codes the leading number is the size, CN means cuffed and UN means cuffless, the next two digits match the inner diameter in tenths of a millimetre (65 is 6.5 mm), and the last letter shows the inner cannula type. Codes ending in A have a disposable inner cannula and codes ending in R a reusable one. Medtronic states that in some regions the codes changed from ending in H to ending in A, that this is a version change and not a new product, and that reusable codes ending in R are unchanged.

XLT codes combine the size (50, 60, 70, 80), XLT, C or U for cuffed or uncuffed, and D or P for distal or proximal extension. Replacement XLT inner cannulas are 50XLTIN to 80XLTIN, sold 10 per box.

Inner cannula sizes and replacements

For Flexible tubes with a disposable inner cannula, Medtronic lists replacement inner cannulas 4IC65 to 10IC10 with inner diameters from 5.5 mm to 9.0 mm and the same length as the matching tube. For the general function of an inner cannula, see tracheostomy inner cannulas.

Size numbers differ between product lines

A Flexible size 6 has a 7.5 mm inner diameter, while an XLT size 60 has a 6.0 mm inner diameter. The XLT 80 is an 8.0 mm tube, which matches the Flexible size 7 (8.0 mm), not size 8 (8.5 mm). Compare millimetre values, never the size digit alone.

Common mix-ups

• Inner diameter versus outer diameter. The ID is the bore of the tube, and the OD is larger because of the wall. A Flexible 6.5 mm ID tube has a 9.4 mm OD.
• Tube ID versus inner cannula ID. The inner cannula runs inside the tube, so its ID is smaller: 5.5 mm inside a 6.5 mm Flexible tube.
• Cuffed versus cuffless. The Flexible dimensions match across CN and UN, so only the item code tells them apart. Compare the code letters, not just the size.
• Disposable versus reusable inner cannula. The A and R suffixes are different products with the same dimensions.
• A typo-looking code. Medtronic’s table lists the reusable cuffed tube as 7CN75R with 8.0 mm ID, while the matching disposable is 7CN80A. Read the item number printed on the box and match it with the supplier instead of assuming.
• Other manufacturers. Bivona tubes are made by a different manufacturer with their own tables, so Shiley values do not carry over. For a broader multi-brand view see tracheostomy tube sizes.

Check your product’s labelling

Item codes have changed between versions and regions. Match the item number, ID, OD, cuffed or cuffless status and inner cannula type printed on the box and in the instructions for use. For unit conversions see French to mm conversion, and for the device itself see what is a tracheostomy tube. A related choice is covered in fenestrated vs non-fenestrated trach tubes.

Frequently asked questions

What sizes do Shiley trach tubes come in?

Per Medtronic, Shiley Flexible adult tubes come in sizes 4 to 10 (6.5 to 10.0 mm ID), and Shiley XLT adult tubes in sizes 50, 60, 70 and 80 (5.0 to 8.0 mm ID).

What is the difference between a Shiley trach size chart and a general trach size chart?

A general chart mixes brands. Shiley values come from Medtronic’s tables for its own product lines, so use the Shiley figures only for Shiley products.

Is there a Bivona trach size chart here?

No. Bivona is a different manufacturer, and its dimensions come from its own labelling and product documents.

Does the size number equal the inner diameter?

Not consistently. In XLT the size 60 has a 6.0 mm ID, but in Flexible the size 6 has a 7.5 mm ID.

Sources

• Medtronic, Shiley Flexible Adult Tracheostomy Tube, checked 2026-11-01.
• Medtronic, Shiley XLT Extended Length Tracheostomy Tube, checked 2026-11-01.