Tracheostomy tubes and the manufacture of such tubes and their components

A tracheostomy tube including a shaft and a mounting flange towards the machine end of the shaft, the mounting flange extending radially outwardly of the tube and being provided with an opening towards each end to which means can be secured to retain the tube with the patient's neck, characterised in that the flange is of a first silicone material overmoulded on two reinforcement inserts at respective ones of the openings, and that the reinforcement inserts are of a heat-cured silicone rubber material different from the first silicone material.

A method of manufacture of a mounting flange of a tracheostomy tube including the steps of moulding two inserts of a heat-cured silicone rubber material, both inserts having a passage therethrough and an outer projection, and overmoulding the two inserts about their outer projection with a silicone material different from that of the inserts to form a mounting flange of the tube where the passage through each insert provides an opening towards opposite ends of the flange to which securing means can be secured.

A tube having a mounting flange manufactured by a method including the steps of moulding two inserts of a heat-cured silicone rubber material, both inserts having a passage therethrough and an outer projection, and overmoulding the two inserts about their outer projection with a silicone material different from that of the inserts to form a mounting flange of the tube where the passage through each insert provides an opening towards opposite ends of the flange to which securing means can be secured.