# treacheotomy
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treacheotomy/285774
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 20, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treacheotomy/285774 "2005-01-20T20:09:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treacheotomy/285774/1 "2005-01-20T20:09:40Z")
can you talk with a treacheotomy tube in your neck?
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### Author:  [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treacheotomy/285774/2 "2005-01-20T20:13:49Z")
If you can talk, no one should give you a tracheotomy!
Tris
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### Author:  [@Indyellen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indyellen)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2005, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treacheotomy/285774/3 "2005-01-20T20:25:06Z")
> [@DuhCow](#):
>
> can you talk with a treacheotomy tube in your neck?
IANAD, but I work for an ENT-Surgery practice. I know that it is possible to do so, but somehow the valve must be blocked in order for the patient to vocalize. There are also special “speaking” valves/tubes for tracheotomy patients. Most of the patients I’ve dealt with here (where there is a speech issue) are laryngectomy patients and they require a special prosthesis or speech-aid device in order to vocalize.
But the simple answer is yes, it is possible. It might take practice, but it is possible. In addition, here is a very good website addressing the issue:
[Speech with a Tracheostomy](http://www.tracheostomy.com/speech.htm)
Hope this helps!
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treacheotomy/285774/4 "2005-01-20T20:45:36Z")
> [@Triskadecamus](#):
>
> If you can talk, no one should give you a tracheotomy!
> Tris
And just what is your reasoning behind that statement?
QtM, MD
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treacheotomy/285774/5 "2005-01-20T20:51:57Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#):
>
> And just what is your reasoning behind that statement?
>
> QtM, MD
He may be going on the assumption that tracheotomies are performed to relieve a blockage of the trachea that wouldn’t otherwise be reparable, thus if you can speak, you have airway, and a tracheotomy isn’t necessary.
Of course (though it took me a second to think it through) there are other reasons for a tracheotomy than simply to establish an emergency airway in extremis. But, like I said, that was my first impression as well.
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### Author:  [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2005, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treacheotomy/285774/6 "2005-01-20T21:15:49Z")
In Gtmo, we had to admit a merchant mariner who, while aboard his merchant ship, fell down a ladder, broke both arms and suffered a fractured skull, as well.
In addition to all the other treatment the doctors administered, they also did a tracheostomy on this patient.
So afterwards, there he lay in his bunk recovering uneventfully, with each arm in a cast and extended more or less straight out - not bent at the elbow.
So, when the man wanted to talk, a corpsman would have to put his finger over the opening in the surgical airway. But this guy turned out to be such a pain in the ass, the corpsman often ignored his “I want to talk” signals so they wouldn’t have to listen to his bitching.
I know, it sounds awful, but it was funny, nevertheless.
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### Author:  [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treacheotomy/285774/7 "2005-01-20T21:21:10Z")
In Gtmo, we had to admit a mariner who, while aboard his merchant ship, fell down a ladder, broke both arms and suffered a fractured skull, as well.
In addition to all the other treatment the doctors administrered, they also did a tracheostomy on this patient.
So afterwards, there he lay in his bed recovering uneventfully, with each arm in a cast and extended more or less straight out - not bent at the elbow as you might expect.
The problem was that when the man needed to speak, a corpsman would have to put his own finger over the opening in the surgical airway. But this guy turned out to be such a pain in the ass, the corpsmen often ignored his “I want to talk” signals so they wouldn’t have to listen to his bitching.
I know, it sounds awful, but it was funny, nevertheless.
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### Author:  [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/treacheotomy/285774/8 "2005-01-20T21:36:34Z")
Having been trached after my accident, it was part of the learning curve to stick a finger over the hole so I could speak. It was also nice to get that darn thing out because it caused a near constant tickle in my throat.