The area of the larynx bounded by the thyroid and cricoid cartilage is a frequent site for obstruction, either by swallowed foreign bodies or abnormal tissue growths. A cricothyrotomy is an emergency procedure that relieves an airway obstruction until formal surgical placement of a breathing tube (tracheostomy) is performed.
Review Date: 7/25/2007
Reviewed By: James L. Demetroulakos, M.D., F.A.C.S., Department of Otolaryngology, North Shore Medical Center, Salem, MA. Clinical Instructor in Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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