title: Verbal communication with the Blom low profile and Passy-Muir one-way tracheotomy tube speaking valves.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series with planned data collection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Large, urban, tertiary care teaching hospital.
  
  
  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.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Otolaryngology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Stewart I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Otolaryngology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Prateek
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Srinet
authors.affiliation: Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Aronberg
authors.affiliation: Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Section of Otolaryngology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. Electronic address: steven.leder@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Leder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013065:Speech Intelligibility; D013071:Speech, Alaryngeal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D014140:Tracheotomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
keywords: Speaking valve; Tracheotomy; Tracheotomy tube; Verbal communication