SPEAKING VALVES, TRACHEOSTOMY TUBES AND ASSEMBLIES

摘要

A fenestrated tracheostomy tube (1) includes a slider (21) that is movable to open or close the fenestration (20) in the tube. The rear end of the slider (21) is divided into two narrow toothed fingers (27) and (28) bent at right angle to engage teeth (33) around a rotatable bezel (32) extending around the machine end connector (13). The bezel (32) is rotatably mounted on a fixed boss (36) so that rotating the bezel displaces the slider (21) to open or close the fenestration (20). Both the bezel (32) and boss (36) have slots (35) and (38) that align with one another when the slider (21) is in a position where the fenestration (20) is open. A speaking valve (2) for use with the tube (1) has two projecting legs (40). The valve (2) can only be operatively fitted on the connector (13) when its legs (40) extend through the aligned slots (35) and (38) in the bezel (32) and boss (36). The projecting legs (40) prevent the bezel (32) being rotated and the fenestration (20) closed when the speaking valve (2) is fitted.