Endotracheal intubation (ET) is often an emergency procedure performed on people who are unconscious or unable to breathe on their own. EI maintains an open airway and helps prevent suffocation. In a typical ET, anesthesia is administered. Then, a flexible plastic tube is placed through your mouth into your windpipe to help you breathe. The trachea, also called the windpipe, is the tube that carries oxygen to your lungs. The size of the breathing tube corresponds to your age and the size of your throat. The tube is held in place by a small air cuff that inflates after being placed around the tube.
