Project Description: 

Every year, over 100,000 patients in the US rely on a tracheostomy to sustain their life. A tracheostomy is a procedure where a tube is placed through an incision in the neck to establish an alternate airway. But, complications such as a dislodgement of the tube can cause serious injury and even death. The current practice of securement with a trach tie and sutures is ineffective and often causes more harm to the patients in the form of skin breakdown and infection, leading medical personnel to spend precious time looking for a hodgepodge of makeshift materials like shoelaces and towels.