Cricothyroidostomy in head and neck surgery.

Cricothyroidostomy is a procedure whose time has come back. Having been quickly and widely readopted by thoracic surgeons in the past 4 years, it is a technique that is particularly advantageous to the head and neck surgeon for many reasons. In the absence of any compelling experience to the contrary, we foresee a diminishing role for the "standard" tracheostomy. Cricothyroidostomy appears to be a safe and effective procedure.