@imaginus, you are in my thoughts for a positive outcome. There is so much mucus on a constant basis inside my trach tube, that very little debris gets through. That inner canula was supposed to be there to catch the mucus to prevent clogs (they told me), yet it did the exact opposite. It clogged up all the time making it almost impossible to breathe. So no, I don't wear it, going on years now without incident. The suction machine was a pain, so my ENT showed me how to remove the tube to clean it. He said to me in a surprised tone, "You brush your teeth twice a day, so why wouldn't you clean the tube?" He is a gem! To each his own...It sounds like you may progress to having the tube removed. I am rooting for you. Oh yeah...the HME is like a mini humidifier/filter in itself. Does wonders with an electric bill.