Abstract: The specification discloses a tracheostomy tube which is specifically designed for percutaneous insertion into a patient's trachea through a stoma in the neck between adjacent cartilages. The tracheostomy tube is inserted with an inner obturator as an assembly in conjunction with the Seldinger technique utilizing a guide wire, a guiding catheter, and dilators. The tracheostomy tube includes a soft, flexible tubular cannula which has a distal portion for insertion within the trachea and a proximal end remaining outside the trachea. The assembly includes a tubular obturator adapted to fit over the guiding catheter and adapted to closely fit within the cannula, and has a tapered distal end which extend beyond the distal end of the cannula. The distal end of the cannula is gradually tapered to form a smooth transition between the cannula and the obturator.