Tracheal intubation, usually simply referred to as
intubation, is the placement of a flexible plastic
tube into the
trachea (windpipe) to maintain an open
airway or to serve as a conduit through which to administer certain drugs. It is frequently performed in critically injured, ill or anesthetized patients to facilitate
ventilation of the lungs, including
mechanical ventilation, and to prevent the possibility of
asphyxiation or airway obstruction.