Tracheostomy Complications & Emergency Management
Last Academic Update: May 2, 2026
Overview
A tracheostomy patient who suddenly deteriorates is one of the highest-risk emergencies in clinical medicine. These patients are often physiologically fragile, carry significant comorbidities, and may have little respiratory reserve. Importantly, more than 90% of life-threatening tracheostomy complications occur within the first 7 days after surgery. The on-call clinician must act quickly, follow a structured airway algorithm, and avoid blind maneuvers that can convert a recoverable obstruction into a fatal airway catastrophe.
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