A high tracheostomy may be indicated in:
It is impoant (in tracheostomy) to refrain from causing any damage in the region of cricoid cailage. An exception to this rule is when a patient has laryngeal malignancy and under these circumstances tracheostomy should be placed high so as to allow resection of tracheostomy site at the time of laryngectomy - Scott Brown 7th/ed vol 2 pg. 2295 The high tracheostomy is generally avoided because of the postoperative risk of peri-chondritis of the cricoid cailage and subglottic stenosis. In cases of carcinoma larynx with stridor when total laryngectomy would be done, high tracheostomy is indicated.
Scleroma of the larynx
Multiple papilliomatosis of larynx
Bilateral vocal cord paralysis
Carcinoma of larynx