What Is a Tracheostomy Tube? A Plain-Language Guide

Last verified: October 6, 2026. A tracheostomy tube is a short, curved tube that is placed through a surgical opening in the front of the neck and into the windpipe (trachea), giving air a direct route into the lungs that bypasses the nose, mouth, and throat. This guide covers what a tracheostomy tube is, who uses one, its main parts and types, how it differs from other airway devices, and why it matters to the people who purchase and stock respiratory supplies.

This page is general information, not clinical or safety training. Always follow your institution’s procedures and the manufacturer’s instructions for any device.

What Is a Tracheostomy Tube?

The procedure that creates the opening in the neck is called a tracheostomy, and the opening itself is called a stoma. The tracheostomy tube is the device that holds that opening open and keeps a clear channel for air. Without a tube, a surgically made opening would tend to narrow and close; the tube keeps it patent so that breathing, suctioning, and, when needed, connection to a breathing machine are all possible.

The tube sits partly inside the windpipe and partly outside the body. A flange, or neck plate, rests against the skin of the neck and is secured with ties or a holder so the tube stays in place. The outer end has a standard connector that can accept a breathing circuit, a humidification device, or other accessories.

Why Tracheostomy Tubes Exist

Breathing normally relies on a clear upper airway. When that pathway is blocked, damaged, or unreliable, or when a person needs breathing support for an extended time, going through the front of the neck can be safer and more comfortable than other routes. A tracheostomy tube serves several general purposes:

• It gives a stable airway when the upper airway is obstructed or at risk of becoming obstructed.
• It allows long-term connection to a mechanical ventilator without a tube passing through the mouth.
• It gives clinicians and caregivers direct access to clear secretions from the airway.
• It can make it easier to reduce sedation and, in some cases, to work toward breathing without machine support.

Who Uses a Tracheostomy Tube

Tracheostomy tubes are used in hospital intensive care units, long-term acute care settings, rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities, and at home. People who have one include those who need prolonged ventilator support, those with certain neurological or neuromuscular conditions, those with injuries or tumors affecting the upper airway, and infants and children with airway abnormalities. Some tracheostomies are temporary, and others are long-term or permanent. Whether a tracheostomy is appropriate, and for how long, is decided by the medical team together with the patient or family.

Main Parts of a Tracheostomy Tube

Although designs vary, most tracheostomy tubes share a set of common parts:

• Outer cannula: the main curved tube that sits in the airway.
• Inner cannula: a removable liner that fits inside the outer cannula. On many designs it can be taken out and cleaned or replaced, which helps manage the buildup of secretions inside the tube.
• Flange (neck plate): the flat wings that rest on the neck and hold the tube in position, with openings for ties.
• Cuff (on some tubes): a small balloon near the tip that can be inflated to seal the space between the tube and the windpipe wall.
• Pilot balloon and valve: on cuffed tubes, the small external balloon and port that show and control the cuff’s inflation.
• Obturator: a smooth, rounded insert used to guide the tube through the opening during placement, then removed.
• 15 mm connector: the standard outer fitting used for attaching breathing circuits and accessories.

Types of Tracheostomy Tubes

Cuffed vs. Uncuffed

A cuffed tube has an inflatable balloon that seals against the windpipe wall. This is commonly used when a person is on a ventilator, so air delivered by the machine goes to the lungs, or when protection of the lower airway is a concern. An uncuffed tube has no balloon, and is often used for people who breathe on their own and for many pediatric patients. Which is appropriate is a clinical decision.

Single vs. Double Cannula

Single-cannula tubes have only the outer tube. Double-cannula tubes add the removable inner cannula described above. The inner cannula can be changed or cleaned without removing the whole tube, which many care settings find useful.

Fenestrated vs. Non-Fenestrated

A fenestrated tube has one or more openings in the curved wall of the tube, which can let some air pass upward through the voice box. This is sometimes used in speech and breathing-weaning work. A non-fenestrated tube has a solid wall.

Material and Size

Tracheostomy tubes are typically made from plastics such as PVC or silicone, or from metal such as stainless steel or silver in some reusable designs. They come in a range of sizes, with different diameters and lengths for infants, children, and adults, and some come in extended-length versions. Sizing is selected by the clinical team for each individual, which is why supplies for this device are managed carefully.

Common Accessories

A tracheostomy tube is rarely used alone. A care setting typically stocks related items such as tube holders and ties, dressings for the stoma site, suction catheters and a suction source, humidification devices (sometimes called artificial noses), speaking valves, and spare tubes of the same size and one size smaller kept on hand for emergencies. For suction supplies, see our guide to the suction canister.

How a Tracheostomy Tube Differs from Related Devices

• Tracheostomy tube vs. endotracheal tube. An endotracheal tube passes through the mouth or nose and through the voice box into the windpipe, and is usually for shorter-term airway support. A tracheostomy tube enters through the neck and is generally used for longer periods.
• Tracheostomy tube vs. ventilator. The tube is only the airway channel. A ventilator is the machine that can deliver breaths through it. Many people with a tracheostomy breathe on their own and do not use a ventilator at all.
• Tracheostomy tube vs. laryngectomy tube. After a laryngectomy, where the voice box is removed, the airway connects to the neck permanently. The devices used there are related but are designed for a different anatomy.
• Tracheostomy tube vs. bag-valve-mask. A bag-valve-mask is a hand-squeezed resuscitation device that can be connected to a tracheostomy tube’s connector in an emergency, or used over the mouth and nose, but it is not an airway tube.

Practical Relevance for Research Administration and Procurement

For staff who buy, stock, and audit respiratory supplies, tracheostomy tubes have a few features that make them different from many other consumables.

First, the range of variants is large. Cuff type, cannula configuration, fenestration, length, and diameter all differ, and the wrong choice cannot simply be swapped in. Requisitions should reference the exact product specification given by the clinical team.

Second, safety stock matters. Care settings usually keep spare tubes in the same size and a smaller size at the bedside or in the home, so inventory models need to account for that readiness requirement rather than only average usage.

Third, replacement schedules and manufacturer guidance affect consumption. Tubes, inner cannulas, and accessories are replaced on schedules set by the manufacturer and the care team, so recurring spend scales with the number of tracheostomy patients.

Fourth, the device is regulated as a medical device, and facilities typically track lot numbers and expiry dates. Studies that enroll people with tracheostomies may also specify particular devices in the protocol, making consistent sourcing and documentation important.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a tracheostomy tube do?

It holds open a surgical opening in the neck so air can pass directly into the windpipe, giving a stable airway, a route for ventilator connection, and access for clearing secretions.

Is a tracheostomy tube permanent?

Not necessarily. Some tracheostomies are temporary and are closed when the person no longer needs them, while others are long-term or permanent. That depends on the individual’s condition and the care team’s plan.

What is the difference between a cuffed and an uncuffed tracheostomy tube?

A cuffed tube has an inflatable balloon that seals the space around the tube, which is useful with ventilators and when lower-airway protection is a concern. An uncuffed tube has no balloon and is often used for people who breathe on their own, including many children.

Can a person with a tracheostomy tube talk?

Often, yes, but it depends on the tube type, the person’s anatomy, and whether devices such as speaking valves are appropriate. Speech and language specialists and the care team assess this individually.

Is a tracheostomy tube the same as a breathing machine?

No. The tube is only the airway channel. A breathing machine, or ventilator, is a separate device that can connect to the tube, and many people with tracheostomy tubes breathe without one.

Who changes or replaces a tracheostomy tube?

Tube changes are performed by trained clinicians or by caregivers who have been specifically trained, following the manufacturer’s instructions and local protocols. This guide is not a substitute for that training.