Breath intake valve for a tracheostomy tube

A breath intake valve (20) for connection with a tracheostomy tube (T) inserted into a patient's trachea, said breath intake valve including:

• a tubular valve body (22) including an inner end for connection with said tracheostomy tube, and an outer end;
• an apertured disk endpiece (24) disposed within said outer end of said valve body (22), said disk endpiece including a removable O-ring in an O-ring seat (32) around the outer circumference of said disk endpiece for circumferential engagement with the interior of said tubular valve body (22);
• a breath intake valve flap (F) operatively connected to said disk endpiece (24) on the inner side thereof, said valve flap being responsive to patient inhalation to open said disk endpiece for air intake to the patient through said tracheostomy tube, and responsive to patient exhalation to close said disk endpiece, thereby to redirect said exhalation to the patient's larynx, sinuses, and mouth;
• said disk endpiece and said O-ring being responsive to exhalation pressure above a preselected release pressure level to release said disk endpiece from said tubular body, thereby to permit exhalation through said valve (20), wherein said disk endpiece includes a circumferential O-ring seat suitable for receiving one of a plurality of O-rings having different characteristics and to thereby establish a desired endpiece release pressure for the breath intake valve.

A method of avoiding pressure buildup and enabling deliberate exhalation in a tracheostomy patient having a tracheostomy tube inserted in a trachea, comprising:

• connecting a breath intake valve to the tracheostomy tube, said breath intake valve including:
• a tubular valve body including an inner end for connection with the tracheostomy tube, and an outer end;
• an apertured endpiece disposed within the outer end of said valve body, said endpiece including a removable O-ring in an O-ring seat adjacent the circumference of said endpiece, said O-ring engaging the interior of the tubular valve body;
• a breath intake valve flap operatively connected to said endpiece on an inner side thereof, said valve flap being responsive to the patient's inhalation to open for air intake to the patient through said tracheostomy tube, and to close in response to patient exhalation, thereby redirecting the exhalation to the patient's larynx;
• said disk endpiece and said O-ring responding to an exhalation pressure above a release pressure level to enable a release of said endpiece from said tubular body and permit exhalation through said intake valve;
• and
• installing an O-ring providing a desired endpiece release pressure for the patient on said O-ring seat.