Need and Project Scope
Cheyenne, a pediatric patient with a tracheostomy tube, lacks the ability to verbally communicate, because the trach tube inhibits air from flowing through the larynx due to the lack of airflow to her larynx, restricting her from fully participating in typical educational and social settings.
Current existing solutions do not address Cheyenne’s more severe respiratory condition and specific needs. Firstly, Cheyenne requires sustained mechanical ventilation. Secondly, her tracheostomy tube cuff must be inflated for inhalation. Lastly, she is a quadriplegic patient with minimal motor control that is limited to foot and ankle movements. Thus, to facilitate her assimilation back into a normal lifestyle, there is an imperative need to restore Cheyenne’s speech abilities while addressing her specific requirements.
The talking tracheostomy tube (talking trach) was designed for a hospital setting, where external air sources are easily accessible. Since there are no portable air sources tailored to the talking trachs, patients who have long-term trachs outside of the hospital, (for example, quadriplegics), have no way of using the device. Their only option is to manually search for alternative air sources that may not be fully suitable for this purpose.
Therefore, there is still a broad need to better facilitate speech in all patients with inflated cuff tracheostomy tubes, including those out of the hospital. In order to achieve this, there is a specific need to supply continuous airflow to a talking trach without confining the patient to a room. This is what we as a team will be tackling for the next few months.
Our project will encompass a device for talking tracheostomy tubes that can provide a continuous airflow, humidify supplied air, and be portable.In order to ensure individuals to be able to speak in a normal, relaxed voice, the talking tracheostomy air source should provide a continuous flow of around 10-15 LPM. It should also humidify this air in order to prevent throat discomfort.
Current existing solutions do not address Cheyenne’s more severe respiratory condition and specific needs. Firstly, Cheyenne requires sustained mechanical ventilation. Secondly, her tracheostomy tube cuff must be inflated for inhalation. Lastly, she is a quadriplegic patient with minimal motor control that is limited to foot and ankle movements. Thus, to facilitate her assimilation back into a normal lifestyle, there is an imperative need to restore Cheyenne’s speech abilities while addressing her specific requirements.
The talking tracheostomy tube (talking trach) was designed for a hospital setting, where external air sources are easily accessible. Since there are no portable air sources tailored to the talking trachs, patients who have long-term trachs outside of the hospital, (for example, quadriplegics), have no way of using the device. Their only option is to manually search for alternative air sources that may not be fully suitable for this purpose.
Therefore, there is still a broad need to better facilitate speech in all patients with inflated cuff tracheostomy tubes, including those out of the hospital. In order to achieve this, there is a specific need to supply continuous airflow to a talking trach without confining the patient to a room. This is what we as a team will be tackling for the next few months.
Our project will encompass a device for talking tracheostomy tubes that can provide a continuous airflow, humidify supplied air, and be portable.In order to ensure individuals to be able to speak in a normal, relaxed voice, the talking tracheostomy air source should provide a continuous flow of around 10-15 LPM. It should also humidify this air in order to prevent throat discomfort.