The procedure may be done to achieve a combination of the following goals.
•  Patent airway
•  Protects lungs from obstruction or aspiration
•  Removal of secretions
•  Long term ventilatory support
When compared to an endotracheal tube, tracheostomy tubes are considered more beneficial in that they:
•  Prevent further laryngeal injury from translaryngeal tube
•  Improve patient comfort
•  Decrease work of breathing
•  Provision of speech mechanism
•  Increase patient mobility