Cricothyroidotomy is used to provide an airway during an emergency since tracheostomy takes longer and is more difficult to do. A tracheostomy is a surgical technique that creates a hole (stoma) in the front of the neck that leads to the windpipe (trachea). The stoma can be closed when the crisis has been resolved or left open if further intervention is needed. In contrast, a tracheostomy is a surgical procedure that creates a hole (stoma) in the front of the neck that leads to the windpipe (trachea). A tracheostomy does not lead to immediate relief from air hunger because it does not allow for direct connection of the lungs to the outside world. Instead, it provides a permanent connection using a tube placed through the skin into the chest cavity. A tracheostomy can be done as a treatment for individuals who will continue to require respiratory support long after their injury has healed. It is also used as a precaution while they are being treated in an intensive care unit since its presence allows for continued oxygenation even if they go into cardiac arrest. Tracheostomies usually but not always involve the placement of a metal rod inside the trachea through the stoma. This makes it possible for doctors to keep track of the patient's airway by visual inspection.