 Despite the many recorded instances of its use since antiquity , it was not until the early 19th century that the tracheotomy finally began to be recognized as a legitimate means of treating severe airway obstruction . In 1852 , French physician Armand Trousseau ( 1801 – 1867 ) presented a series of 169 tracheotomies to the Académie Impériale de Médecine . 158 of these were performed for the treatment of croup , and 11 were performed for " chronic maladies of the larynx " . Between 1830 and 1855 , more than 350 tracheotomies were performed in Paris , most of them at the Hôpital des Enfants <unk> , a public hospital , with an overall survival rate of only 20 – 25 % . This compares with 58 % of the 24 patients in Trousseau 's private practice , who fared better due to greater postoperative care . 
