Why do you need the inner cannula with a tracheostomy?
Inner cannula is very important for patients especially when they have a lot of secretions. First of all, it is easier to pull the inner cannula out and clean it to maintain hygiene of the airway. Secondly, if patients develop a mucus plug, you can pull the inner cannula out and have the outer cannula serve as the airway. You can then either place a new inner cannula or clean the plug out of the old one and reuse it depending on whether the tube is disposable or not.
