Surgical airway management is often performed as a last resort in cases where orotracheal and nasotracheal intubation are impossible or contraindicated.

Surgical airway management is also used when a person will need a mechanical ventilator for a longer period.

[2] Aretaeus of Cappadocia thought the procedure dangerous even as a remedy for choking, since the resulting incision "would not heal, as being cartilaginous"; Caelius Aurelianus also rejected its usefulness.

Cricothyrotomy is easier and quicker to perform than tracheotomy, does not require manipulation of the cervical spine and is associated with fewer complications.

[5] The advantages of a tracheotomy include less risk of infection and damage to the trachea such as tracheal stenosis.