In some cases this may just be a few days, but it could be many months in other cases. For individuals on a ventilator or with severe apnea the tracheotomy tube may need to stay in indefinitely. The cuff is the balloon at the end of the tube. When an individual is on a breathing machine this cuff must be inflated so that air does not leak out around the cuff. The cuff also helps a little in preventing saliva and other secretions and swallowed liquids from getting into the lungs.
Most tracheotomy tubes have an inner cannula that slides within the outer tube.
The inner tube is the middle tube in the picture below. The advantage of having an inner tube is that if a plug of mucous blocks the inner tube, it can be easily removed to unblock the airway. The tube on the right is called an introducer or a stylet. It is used to help introduce the trach into the opening in the neck. For people who do not need to be on a ventilator, the cuff can be deflated or an uncuffed tube can be used.