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.