Tracheostomy tubes and their manufacture

A method of reinforcing neck tie or suture openings in a flange of a tracheostomy tube wherein the openings each have a radially-enlarged recess on each of a patient side of the flange and an opposite machine side of the flange, wherein for each of the openings the method comprises:

• providing an insert having a patient end and a machine end and a tubular body forming a passage extending axially between the patient end and the machine end, one radially-enlarged head at the patient end of the insert,
• inserting the insert into the opening from the patient side of the flange so that the one radially-enlarged head of the insert closely fits in the radially-enlarged recess on the patient side of the flange and a patient end surface of the one radially-enlarged head lies flush with a patient end surface of the flange, and
• subsequently heat forming a radially-enlarged domed head at the machine end of the insert to overlie a first machine end surface of the flange around the opening and thereby retain the insert securely with the flange, wherein the domed head extends beyond the radially-enlarged recess on the machine side of the flange such that it does not lie flush with a second machine end surface of the flange,
• wherein the passage of the insert is configured to allow a neck tie or suture to extend therethrough to secure the tracheostomy tube with a neck of a patient.

A tracheostomy tube having a flange with neck tie or suture openings, wherein each of the openings is reinforced by a method comprising:

• providing an insert for the opening having a patient end and a machine end and a tubular body forming a passage extending axially along the tubular body between the machine end and the patient end, one radially-enlarged head at the patient end of the insert,
• inserting the insert into the opening from a patient side of the flange so that the one radially-enlarged head of the insert closely fits in a radially-enlarged recess on a patient side of the flange and a patient end surface of the radially-enlarged head of the insert lies flush with a patient end surface of the flange, and
• subsequently heat forming a radially-enlarged domed head at the machine end of the insert to overlie a first machine end surface of the flange around the opening within a radially-enlarged recess on an opposite machine side of the flange and thereby retain the insert securely with the flange, wherein the domed head extends beyond the radially-enlarged recess on the machine side of the flange such that it does not lie flush with a second machine end surface of the flange,
• wherein the passage of the insert is configured to allow a neck tie or suture to extend therethrough to secure the tracheostomy tube with a neck of a patient.