If the symptoms are severe enough, treatment may be needed. These range from medical management over mechanical ventilation (both continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), or bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) to tracheal stenting and surgery.

Surgical techniques include aortopexy, tracheopexy, tracheobronchoplasty, and tracheostomy. The role of the nebulised recombinant human deoxyribonuclease (rhDNase) remains inconclusive.

Subcutaneous emphysema is usually benign. Most of the time, SCE itself does not need treatment (though the conditions from which it results may); however, if the amount of air is large, it can interfere with breathing and be uncomfortable. It occasionally progresses to a state "Massive Subcutaneous Emphysema" which is quite uncomfortable and requires surgical drainage. When the amount of air pushed out of the airways or lung becomes massive, usually due to positive pressure ventilation, the eyelids swell so much that the patient cannot see. Also the pressure of the air may impede the blood flow to the areolae of the breast and skin of the scrotum or labia. This can lead to necrosis of the skin in these areas. The latter are urgent situations requiring rapid, adequate decompression. Severe cases can compress the trachea and do require treatment.

In severe cases of subcutaneous emphysema, catheters can be placed in the subcutaneous tissue to release the air. Small cuts, or "blow holes", may be made in the skin to release the gas. When subcutaneous emphysema occurs due to pneumothorax, a chest tube is frequently used to control the latter; this eliminates the source of the air entering the subcutaneous space. If the volume of subcutaneous air is increasing, it may be that the chest tube is not removing air rapidly enough, so it may be replaced with a larger one. Suction may also be applied to the tube to remove air faster. The progression of the condition can be monitored by marking the boundaries with a special pencil for marking on skin.

Since treatment usually involves dealing with the underlying condition, cases of spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema may require nothing more than bed rest, medication to control pain, and perhaps supplemental oxygen. Breathing oxygen may help the body to absorb the subcutaneous air more quickly.

The optimal management of laryngotracheal stenosis is not well defined, depending mainly on the type of the stenosis.

General treatment options include

1. Tracheal dilation using rigid bronchoscope

2. Laser surgery and endoluminal stenting

3. Tracheal resection and laryngotracheal reconstructionr

Tracheal is used to temporarily enlarge the airway. The effect of dilation typically lasts from a few days to 6 months. Several studies have shown that as a result of mechanical dilation (used alone) may occur a high mortality rate and a rate of recurrence of stenosis higher than 90%.

Thus, many authors treat the stenosis by endoscopic excision with laser (commonly either the carbon dioxide or the neodymium: yttrium aluminum garnet laser) and then by using bronchoscopic dilatation and prolonged stenting with a T-tube (generally in silicone).

There are differing opinions on treating with laser surgery.

In very experienced surgery centers, tracheal resection and reconstruction (anastomosis complete end-to-end with or without laryngotracheal temporary stent to prevent airway collapse) is currently the best alternative to completely cure the stenosis and allows to obtain good results. Therefore, it can be considered the gold standard treatment and is suitable for almost all patients.

The narrowed part of the trachea will be cut off and the cut ends of the trachea sewn together with sutures. For stenosis of length greater than 5 cm a stent may be required to join the sections.

Late June or early July 2010, a new potential treatment was trialed at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where Ciaran Finn-Lynch (aged 11) received a transplanted trachea which had been injected with stem cells harvested from his own bone marrow. The use of Ciaran's stem cells was hoped to prevent his immune system from rejecting the transplant, but there remain doubts about the operation's success, and several later attempts at similar surgery have been unsuccessful.

The formation of a TIF is a medical emergency and requires immediate intervention. Blood volume control, management of the hemorrhage, and adequate oxygenation should be insured in these patients. In a majority of TIF cases (85%), hyperinflation of the tracheostomy cuff will control the bleeding, while the patient is prepared for surgery. However, if this fails the tracheostomy cuff must be removed, and the patient must be intubated from above. Next, pressure from the index finger can be applied on the bleeding site from within the tracheostomy to control the bleeding. In addition, the "Utley Maneuver", which involves digital compression of the artery against the posterior wall of the manubrium of the sternum following a right infraclavicular incision, may be used to urgently control the bleeding When the bleeding is controlled the patient should be immediately transferred on the operating room.

To properly treat a patient with tracheobronchomalacia, the subtype must be determined (primary or secondary). After the type is named, the cause must be identified, whether it is from genetics, a trauma accident, or chronic tracheal illness. If a trauma case or chronic tracheal illnesses were the cause, the first steps of treatment would be to fix or help these underlying issues. If the cause is genetic or the previous underlying issues could not be fixed, other treatments would be assessed. More severe treatments include silicone stenting to prevent tracheal constriction, surgery to strengthen or attempt to rebuild the walls, continuous positive airway pressure that has a machine blow small amounts of air into the trachea to keep it open (mainly at night), or a tracheostomy, which is surgically put into your neck that leads to your trachea to help with breathing. People with tracheobronchomalacia who do not experience symptoms do not need treatment and are often undiagnosed.

If the person is awake and able to breathe often all that is requires is providing extra oxygen while the operating room is prepared for bronchoscopy.

If a children less than one and is unable to breathe at all then five back blows followed by five chest thrusts should be done. In children over the age of one abdominal thrusts are recommended.

If this is not effective than bag mask ventilation is recommended. Next laryngoscopy can be tried to look and see if the foreign body can be removed. If the above is not effective than intubation or cricothyrotomy can be tried.

There are many advanced medical treatments to relieve choking or airway obstruction. These include inspection of the airway with a laryngoscope or bronchoscope and removal of the object under direct vision. Severe cases where there is an inability to remove the object may require cricothyrotomy (emergency tracheostomy). Cricothyrotomy involves making an incision in a patient's neck and inserting a tube into the trachea in order to bypass the upper airways. The procedure is usually only performed when other methods have failed. In many cases, an emergency tracheostomy can save a patient's life, but if performed incorrectly, it may end the patient’s life.

Treatment of TBI varies based on the location and severity of injury and whether the patient is stable or having trouble breathing, but ensuring that the airway is patent so that the patient can breathe is always of paramount importance. Ensuring an open airway and adequate ventilation may be difficult in people with TBI. Intubation, one method to secure the airway, may be used to bypass a disruption in the airway in order to send air to the lungs. If necessary, a tube can be placed into the uninjured bronchus, and a single lung can be ventilated. If there is a penetrating injury to the neck through which air is escaping, the trachea may be intubated through the wound. Multiple unsuccessful attempts at conventional (direct) laryngoscopy may threaten the airway, so alternative techniques to visualize the airway, such as fiberoptic or video laryngoscopy, may be employed to facilitate tracheal intubation. If the upper trachea is injured, an incision can be made in the trachea (tracheotomy) or the cricothyroid membrane (cricothyrotomy, or cricothyroidotomy) in order to ensure an open airway. However, cricothyrotomy may not be useful if the trachea is lacerated below the site of the artificial airway. Tracheotomy is used sparingly because it can cause complications such as infections and narrowing of the trachea and larynx. When it is impossible to establish a sufficient airway, or when complicated surgery must be performed, cardiopulmonary bypass may be used—blood is pumped out of the body, oxygenated by a machine, and pumped back in. If a pneumothorax occurs, a chest tube may be inserted into the pleural cavity to remove the air.

People with TBI are provided with supplemental oxygen and may need mechanical ventilation. Employment of certain measures such as Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and ventilation at higher-than-normal pressures may be helpful in maintaining adequate oxygenation. However, such measures can also increase leakage of air through a tear, and can stress the sutures in a tear that has been surgically repaired; therefore the lowest possible airway pressures that still maintain oxygenation are typically used. Mechanical ventilation can also cause pulmonary barotrauma when high pressure is required to ventilate the lungs. Techniques such as pulmonary toilet (removal of secretions), fluid management, and treatment of pneumonia are employed to improve pulmonary compliance (the elasticity of the lungs).

While TBI may be managed without surgery, surgical repair of the tear is considered standard in the treatment of most TBI. It is required if a tear interferes with ventilation; if mediastinitis (inflammation of the tissues in the mid-chest) occurs; or if subcutaneous or mediastinal emphysema progresses rapidly; or if air leak or large pneumothorax is persistent despite chest tube placement. Other indications for surgery are a tear more than one third the circumference of the airway, tears with loss of tissue, and a need for positive pressure ventilation. Damaged tissue around a rupture (e.g. torn or scarred tissue) may be removed in order to obtain clean edges that can be surgically repaired. Debridement of damaged tissue can shorten the trachea by as much as 50%. Repair of extensive tears can include sewing a flap of tissue taken from the membranes surrounding the heart or lungs (the pericardium and pleura, respectively) over the sutures to protect them. When lung tissue is destroyed as a result of TBI complications, pneumonectomy or lobectomy (removal of a lung or of one lobe, respectively) may be required. Pneumonectomy is avoided whenever possible due to the high rate of death associated with the procedure. Surgery to repair a tear in the tracheobronchial tree can be successful even when it is performed months after the trauma, as can occur if the diagnosis of TBI is delayed. When airway stenosis results after delayed diagnosis, surgery is similar to that performed after early diagnosis: the stenotic section is removed and the cut airway is repaired.

Air in subcutaneous tissue does not usually pose a lethal threat; small amounts of air are reabsorbed by the body. Once the pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum that causes the subcutaneous emphysema is resolved, with or without medical intervention, the subcutaneous emphysema will usually clear. However, spontaneous subcutaneous emphysema can, in rare cases, progress to a life-threatening condition, and subcutaneous emphysema due to mechanical ventilation may induce ventilatory failure.

To prevent an TIF, intubation time should be limited to less than 2 weeks and proper techniques should be used when performing tracheotomies. The occurrence of an TIF can be reduced by using more flexible and blunt tracheostomy tubes and insuring that the tubes are properly aligned in the patients. Placing the tracheostomy between the second and third tracheal rings can minimize the risk of an TIF. Repetitive head movements, especially, hyperextension of the neck should be avoided as since this movement results in contact between the innominate artery and the underside of the tube.

The Heimlich Maneuver (abdominal thrusts) can be performed can be self-administered. Self-administration of this maneuver requires positioning of one's own abdomen over a chair, railing, or countertop and driving the abdomen upon the object with sharp, upward thrust. This serves as a substitute for thrusts made with the hands by another person. One study showed that these self-administered abdominal thrusts were just as effective as those performed by another person, although obese individuals were not included in the study. Self-assist choking devices are another self-treatment option. This device is used to produce the inward and upward force of traditional abdominal thrusts.

Multiple sources of evidence suggest, that one of promising approaches for self treatment during choking could be by applying the head-down (inversed) position.

Vehicle occupants who wear seat belts have a lower incidence of TBI after a motor vehicle accident. However, if the strap is situated across the front of the neck (instead of the chest), this increases the risk of tracheal injury. Design of medical instruments can be modified to prevent iatrogenic TBI, and medical practitioners can use techniques that reduce the risk of injury with procedures such as tracheotomy.

When laryngospasm is coincident with a cold or flu, it may be helpful for some sufferers to take acid reflux medication to limit the irritants in the area. If a cough is present, then treat a wet cough; but limit coughing whenever possible, as it is only likely to trigger a spasm. Drink water or tea to keep the area from drying up. Saline drops also help to keep the area moist. Pseudoephederine may also help to clear any mucus that may cause coughing and thereby triggering more spasms.

In more severe cases, it is treated by administering intravenous antibiotics and may require admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) for intubation and supportive ventilation if the airway swelling is severe. During an intensive care admission, various methods of invasive and non-invasive monitoring may be required, which may include ECG monitoring, oxygen saturation, capnography and arterial blood pressure monitoring.

Minor laryngospasm will generally resolve spontaneously in the majority of cases.

Laryngospasm in the operating room is treated by hyperextending the patient's neck and administering assisted ventilation with 100% oxygen. In more severe cases it may require the administration of an intravenous muscle relaxant, such as Succinylcholine, and reintubation.

When Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is the trigger, treatment of GERD can help manage laryngospasm. Proton pump inhibitors such as Dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), Esomeprazole (Nexium), and Lansoprazole (Prevacid) reduce the production of stomach acids, making reflux fluids less irritant. Prokinetic agents reduce the amount of acid available by stimulating movement in the digestive tract.

Spontaneous laryngospasm can be treated by staying calm and breathing slowly, instead of gasping for air. Drinking (tiny sips) of ice water to wash away any irritants that may be the cause of the spasm can also help greatly.

Patients who are prone to laryngospasm during illness can take measures to prevent irritation such as antacids to avoid acid reflux, and constantly drinking water or tea keep the area clear of irritants.

Additionally, laryngospasms can result from hypocalcemia, causing muscle spasms and/or tetany. Na+ channels remain open even if there is very little increase in the membrane potential. This affects the small muscles of the vocal folds.

A Saber-sheath trachea is a trachea that has an abnormal shape caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The posterior area of the trachea increases in diameter while the lateral measurement decreases.

Tracheomalacia is a condition where the cartilage that keeps the airway (trachea) open is soft such that the trachea partly collapses especially during increased airflow. The usual symptom is stridor when a person breathes out.

The trachea normally opens slightly during breathing in and narrows slightly during breathing out. These processes are exaggerated in tracheomalacia, leading to airway collapse on breathing out.

If the condition extends further to the large airways (bronchi) (if there is also bronchomalacia), it is termed tracheobronchomalacia. The same condition can also affect the larynx, which is called laryngomalacia. The term is from "trachea" and the Greek μαλακία, "softening"

Bronchomalacia is a term for weak cartilage in the walls of the bronchial tubes, often occurring in children under six months. Bronchomalacia means 'floppiness' of some part of the bronchi. Patients present with noisy breathing and/or wheezing. There is collapse of a main stem bronchus on exhalation. If the trachea is also involved the term tracheobronchomalacia (TBM) is used. If only the upper airway the trachea is involved it is called tracheomalacia (TM). There are two types of bronchomalacia. Primary bronchomalacia is due to a deficiency in the cartilaginous rings. Secondary bronchomalacia may occur by extrinsic compression from an enlarged vessel, a vascular ring or a bronchogenic cyst. Though uncommon, idiopathic (of unknown cause) tracheobronchomalacia has been described in older adults.

Bronchomalacia can best be described as a birth defect of the bronchus in the respiratory tract. Congenital malacia of the large airways is one of the few causes of irreversible airways obstruction in children, with symptoms varying from recurrent wheeze and recurrent lower airways infections to severe dyspnea and respiratory insufficiency. It may also be acquired later in life due to chronic or recurring inflammation resulting from infection or other airway disease.

Treatment of a laryngeal cleft depends on the length and resulting severity of symptoms. A shallow cleft (Type I) may not require surgical intervention. Symptoms may be able to be managed by thickening the infant's feeds. If symptomatic, Type I clefts can be sutured closed or injected with filler as a temporary fix to determine if obliterating the cleft is beneficial and whether or not a more formal closure is required at a later date. Slightly longer clefts (Type II and short Type III) can be repaired endoscopically. Short type IV clefts extending to within 5 mm below the innominate artery can be repaired through the neck by splitting the trachea vertically in the midline and suturing the back layers of the esophagus and trachea closed. A long, tapered piece of rib graft can be placed between the esophageal and tracheal layers to make them rigid so the patient will not require a tracheotomy after the surgery and to decrease chances of fistula postoperatively. Long Type IV clefts extending further than 5 mm below the innominate artery cannot be reached with a vertical incision in the trachea, and therefore are best repaired through cricotracheal resection. This involves separating the trachea from the cricoid cartilage, leaving the patient intubated through the trachea, suturing each of the esophagus and the back wall of the trachea closed independently, and then reattaching the trachea to the cricoid cartilage. This prevents the need for pulmonary bypass or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

After the material has passed, a veterinarian may try to prevent the onset of aspiration pneumonia by placing the horse on broad-spectrum antibiotics. The animal should be monitored for several days to ensure that it does not develop pneumonia, caused by inhalation of bacteria-rich food material into the lungs.

The material caught in a horse's throat usually causes inflammation, which may later lead to scarring. Scarring reduces the diameter of the esophagus (a stenosis or stricture), which increases the chance that the horse may choke again. The veterinarian may therefore place the horse on a course of NSAIDs, to help to control the inflammation of the esophagus.

Often the horse will only be fed softened food for a few days, allowing the esophagus to heal, before it is allowed to gradually resume its normal diet (e.g. hay and unsoaked grain). Horses with re-occurring chokes may require their diet to be changed.

Choking horses should be deprived of food and drink pending veterinary attention, so as not to increase the obstructive load within the esophagus. The veterinarian will often sedate the horse and administer spasmolytics, such as butylscopolamine, to help the esophagus to relax. Once the muscles of the esophagus no longer force the food down the throat (active peristalsis), it may slip down on its own accord. If spasmolytics do not solve the problem, the veterinarian will usually pass a stomach tube through one of the nostrils and direct it into the esophagus until the material is reached, at which point "gentle" pressure is applied to manually push the material down. Gentle warm water lavage (water sent through the stomach tube, to soften the food material) may be required to help the obstructing matter pass more easily, but caution should be exercised to prevent further aspiration of fluid into the trachea.

Refractory cases are sometimes anesthetised, with an orotracheal tube placed to prevent further aspiration and to allow for more vigorous lavage. Disruption of the impacted material can sometimes be achieved via endoscopy. If these methods still do not lead to results, the horse may require surgery to remove the material.

Some workers have advocated the use of oxytocin in choke, on the grounds that it decreases the esophageal muscular tone. However, this technique is not suitable in pregnant mares, as it may lead to abortion.

The differential of TO includes amyloidosis, which is typically circumferential, papillomatosis, though this usually occurs in younger patients and can cause lung cavitation when disseminated, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, though this is circumferential as well and often involves distal lung cavitation as well. Relapsing polychondritis can also spare the posterior wall, though it is not typically nodular in appearance.

Tracheobronchomalacia or TBM is a condition characterized by flaccidity of the tracheal support cartilage which leads to tracheal collapse. This condition can also affect the bronchi. There are two forms of this rare condition: primary TB and secondary TB. Primary TB is congenital and starts as early as two years old. It is mainly linked to genetic causes. Secondary TB is acquired and starts in adulthood. It is mainly developed after an accident or chronic inflammation.

On 28 May 2013, it was reported that a cure had been developed via a 3D printed windpipe. This cure has currently saved the lives of at least 3 infants.

The procedure is performed in general anesthesia. It is useful to place pulse oximeter probes on "both hands" and "one foot" so that test occlusion of one arch or its branches will allow confirmation of the anatomy. In addition blood pressure cuffs should also be placed on one leg and both arms to confirm the absence of a pressure gradient when the intended point of division of the lesser arch is temporarily occluded with forceps.