How long it takes to seal the tube after tracheotomy depends on the severity of the patient’s condition and cannot be generalized.
Tracheotomy is mainly used for patients who are unconscious, unable to expel sputum normally, or some patients who are unable to breathe on their own after surgery. If edema or inflammation of the larynx or pharynx or allergy causes the patient to have difficulty breathing, the airway should be cut immediately and tracheal intubation should be performed to assist breathing. Once the airway edema has subsided and breathing is clear, the tube can be closed within 1-2 weeks. If the patient has been in a comatose state, the tracheotomy needs to be kept for a long time so that sputum can be suctioned in time to avoid sputum blockage. For patients with airway obstruction due to airway damage caused by laryngeal cancer or nasopharyngeal cancer, long-term tracheal intubation is required after tracheotomy to ensure the unobstructed airway.
In addition, after tracheotomy, the protective function of the upper airway mucosa decreases and patients are more prone to infection, so timely airway clearance, sputum aspiration and gauze replacement are required to maintain the relative sterility of the expiratory tube.