Neck flange for trackeostomy tube.

摘要

A neck flange (11) supports a tracheostomy tube (10) inserted into the neck (12) and has a neck engaging portion (21) containing an aperture (25) made of a molded thin flexible flat sheet of a transparent polymer. An interconnection (26) is positioned centrally within the neck engaging portion (21) and carried thereby. It has a ring-shaped body (27) with an opening (28) common to the aperture, and a pair of opposed pivot pins (29) extending inwardly into the opening (28) for carrying the tube (10) passing therethrough. The pair of opposed pins (29) fit for movement within recesses in the tube (10) to permit limited swivel motion about the axis of the pins (29). The interconnection (26) is molded of a transparent polymer material that is less flexible than the neck engaging portion (21) and has a stepped cross section so the pair of opposed pivot pins (29) are raised relative to the ring-shaped body (27). The neck engaging portion (21) is molded about the interconnection (26) so that the raised pair of opposed pins (29) remain exposed. A method for manufacturing the neck flange (11) has the steps of molding a ring-shaped interconnection of a polymer and molding a neck engaging portion (21) about the interconnection (26) by inserting the interconnection into a mold and then molding the neck engaging portion thereabout. A method for using the neck flange (11) has the steps of placing the tracheostomy tube (10) in a patient's neck (12) and swiveling the neck engaging portion (21) relative the tube (10) to conform to the neck (12), flexing the neck engaging portion (21) to conform to the curvature of the neck (12) and observing the condition of the neck (12) under the transparent neck flange (11). <IMAGE>