A procedure to urgently secure the airway that is performed between the thyroid and cricoid cartilage in the cricothyroid membrane (also called the conus elasticus) "the first soft place (the membrane) under the hard one (the thyroid cartilage)". This area is suitable due to the absence of structures whose injury could cause significant and difficult to resolve bleeding. It serves as a temporary solution to bridge the period before "definitive" securing of the airway.

There are a number of, more or less useful, commercial-prepared coniotomy sets.

Currently the so-called BACT - (bougie assisted cricothyrotomy) (see fig.) is being promoted as a simple and safe procedure. It is a surgical method developed in 2007 consisting of three steps. First we make a short incision in membrane of conus, then an elastic bougie is inserted into the incision, which serves as a guide-wire, after which a cuffed endotracheal tube no. 6 is inserted into the trachea (MV can then be fully employed).