When the neck joint breaks in Mattel's Barbie, an inner pin (in the neck) usually pulls out leaving a hole in the throat that looks like a tracheotomy. The appearance of the neck usually remains intact except for cracks. A trake is a figure in this condition. It is necessary to fix this problem when a suitable replacement is not easily available, such as Mattel's discontinued articulated body. To reduce the chances of breaking the neck joint, in the first place, see my article, "Saving Barbie's Neck..."
