Verbal communication with the Blom low profile and Passy-Muir one-way tracheotomy tube speaking valves

Objective: To investigate physiologic parameters, voice production abilities, and functional verbal communication ratings of the Blom low profile voice inner cannula and Passy-Muir one-way tracheotomy tube speaking valves.

Study design: Case series with planned data collection.

Setting: Large, urban, tertiary care teaching hospital.

Subjects and methods: Referred sample of 30 consecutively enrolled adults requiring a tracheotomy tube and tested with Blom and Passy-Muir valves. Physiologic parameters recorded were oxygen saturation, respiration rate, and heart rate. Voice production abilities included maximum voice intensity in relation to ambient room noise and maximum phonation duration of the vowel/a/. Functional verbal communication was determined from randomized and blinded listener ratings of counting 1-10, saying the days of the week, and reading aloud the sentence, "There is according to legend a boiling pot of gold at one end."

Results: There were no significant differences (p>0.05) between the Blom and Passy-Muir valves for the physiologic parameters of oxygen saturation, respiration rate, and heart rate; voice production abilities of both maximum intensity and duration of/a/; and functional verbal communication ratings. Both valves allowed for significantly greater maximum voice intensity over ambient room noise (p<0.001).

Conclusions: The Blom low profile voice inner cannula and Passy-Muir one-way speaking valves exhibited equipoise regarding patient physiologic parameters, voice production abilities, and functional verbal communication ratings.

Learning outcomes: Readers will understand the importance of verbal communication for patients who require a tracheotomy tube; will be able to determine the differences between the Blom low profile voice inner cannula and Passy-Muir one-way tracheotomy tube speaking valves; and will be confident in knowing that both the Blom and Passy-Muir one-way tracheotomy tube speaking valves are equivalent regarding physiological functioning and speech production abilities.