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Definition

noun, plural: tracheostomies

The opening created by the tracheotomy procedure.

Supplement

The term tracheostomy is sometimes used interchangeably to tracheotomy to refer to the surgical procedure of creating a stoma into the trachea. However, the root words of tracheostomy means mouth thus it actually refers to the stoma or opening surgically created by tracheotomy.

Word origin: trachea + from the root stom- meaning "mouth"

Also called: tracheotomy stoma

Compare: tracheotomy