Fast Facts on Tracheotomies

Feb. 24, 2005 — -- Pope John Paul II underwent a tracheotomy today to help him breathe more easily, the Vatican said. The following are some facts about tracheotomies, their history and the risks and benefits of this operation.

Sources: National Institutes of Health; Dr. Charles E. Morgan and Dr. Susan Dixon, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine; American Thoracic Society; Dr. Paul A. Taheri, University of Michigan Health System