RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Preliminary Report of Laryngeal Phonation During Mechanical Ventilation Via a New Cuffed Tracheostomy Tube JF Respiratory Care FD American Association for Respiratory Care SP 1661 OP 1670 VO 55 IS 12 A1 Melda Kunduk A1 Kimberly Appel A1 Mehtap Tunc A1 Zekeriyya Alanoglu A1 Neslihan Alkis A1 Gursel Dursun A1 Ozan B Ozgursoy YR 2010 UL http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/55/12/1661.abstract AB OBJECTIVE: To study the safety, efficacy, patient tolerance, and patient satisfaction of the Blom Tracheostomy Tube and Speech Cannula (Pulmodyne, Indianapolis, Indiana), a new device that allows the patient to speak while the tracheostomy tube cuff is fully inflated. METHODS: With 10 tracheostomized mechanically ventilated patients we recorded ventilator settings and physiologic variables at baseline with patient's usual tracheostomy tube, then with the Blom Tracheostomy Tube and the Blom standard (non-speech) cannula, and then during three 30-min trials of the Blom Speech Cannula. During the Blom Speech Cannula trials we assessed the subjects' success in phonation (eg, sentence length and volume). RESULTS: Nine of the 10 subjects achieved sustained audible phonation and were very satisfied with the device. CONCLUSIONS: The Blom Speech Cannula appears to be safe, effective, and well tolerated in tracheostomized mechanically ventilated patients while maintaining full cuff inflation.