Patent ID: 9675448
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61F

Claim:
1. An apparatus comprising a speech valve for insertion into a fistula between a trachea and an esophagus of a human patient and a tool for holding the speech valve during insertion of the speech valve into the fistula, the speech valve comprising: a speech valve body having a tracheal end and an esophageal end and having an axis extending between the tracheal end and the esophageal end, the speech valve body defining a passage for carrying air from a tracheal passage opening at the tracheal end to an esophageal passage opening at the esophageal end, a radially extending retainer for location in the trachea to restrict movement of the speech valve through the fistula towards the esophagus, and the speech valve body having a tubular portion at the tracheal end, the tubular portion extending axially outwardly of the retainer and providing the tracheal passage opening, the tool comprising: an elongate inner member having a central axis and a tapered distal end formed by a plurality of flexible fingers, and an elongate outer sleeve surrounding the inner member, the outer sleeve having an open distal end and an annular inner cam portion located adjacent the open distal end, wherein the plurality of flexible fingers of the tapered end of the inner member comprising a tubular wall and having a plurality of mutually spaced slots extending axially inwardly from an open end of the tubular wall, each flexible finger being formed by a respective portion of the tubular wall of the inner member lying between a respective pair of adjacent slots, the inner member being axially moveable relative to the outer sleeve whereupon the plurality of flexible fingers interact with the cam portion to cause the flexible fingers to move radially inward into a gripping configuration at the open end of the outer sleeve, the cam portion of the outer sleeve being a tapering inner surface portion which narrows as it progresses towards the open end of the outer sleeve, the flexible fingers lying within the tapering surface portion and being compressed into said gripping configuration by engagement with the tapering surface portion as the inner member is moved towards the open end of the outer sleeve, wherein the holding tool is adapted to hold the speech valve with the tubular portion of the speech valve inserted into the open distal end of the outer sleeve and the flexible fingers in said gripping configuration gripping the tubular portion of the speech valve.