Fabricated single lumen tracheal cannula for a morbidly obese patient.

Morbidly obese patients who manifest upper airway obstruction or pulmonary insufficiency may require tracheostomy to ensure patency or provide ventilatory support, respectively. In this patient population the girth of the neck region may preclude use of currently available manufactured standardized tracheostomy tubes. Reported herein is the fabrication of a tracheal cannula with bisociation of an uncuffed endotracheal tube and the "swivel neck plate" of a tracheostomy tube, to provide a secure and comfortable single lumen tracheal prosthesis to accommodate such a patient's unique anatomy. The technique is applicable to other clinical scenarios if standard marketed tracheostomy tubes do not suffice.