What must a physician do to perform a tracheostomy?

What must a physician do to perform a tracheostomy?

• A. Incision of the esophagus
• B. Incision of the trachea
• C. Resection of the larynx
• D. Incision of the pharynx

Answer: (A)

Tracheostomy creates a direct airway by opening the trachea. To perform it, the surgeon exposes the trachea in the neck and makes an incision through the anterior wall of the trachea to form a stoma for the tracheostomy tube. Incising the esophagus would not establish an airway and would introduce serious complications, so it is not the correct step. Resection of the larynx is a laryngectomy, a different operation that removes the larynx rather than creating a tracheal opening. Incising the pharynx would not reliably provide a direct, stable airway for long-term ventilation.

Tracheostomy creates a direct airway by opening the trachea. To perform it, the surgeon exposes the trachea in the neck and makes an incision through the anterior wall of the trachea to form a stoma for the tracheostomy tube. Incising the esophagus would not establish an airway and would introduce serious complications, so it is not the correct step. Resection of the larynx is a laryngectomy, a different operation that removes the larynx rather than creating a tracheal opening. Incising the pharynx would not reliably provide a direct, stable airway for long-term ventilation.