Patent ID: 8607795

Claim:
A tracheostomy tube device comprising: a hollow tube having a center, a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a bend region intermediate of the end portions, wherein the distal end portion is arranged for insertion through a patient's throat and tracheal stoma and into the tracheal lumen such that the distal end portion of the tube extends in a first direction within the tracheal lumen when the proximal end portion extends in a second direction through the tracheal stoma, the proximal end portion defining a proximal plane of the device; an inflatable balloon having a center and enveloping the tube, the balloon having a distal balloon portion centered about and attached to the distal end portion of the tube and a proximal balloon portion attached to the bend region of the tube and positioned such that the center of the tube is at least one tube radius away from the center of the balloon about the bend region below the proximal plane of the device, wherein the balloon expands upon inflation around the distal end portion of the tube and the proximal end portion of the tube below the proximal plane of the device to seal the trachea below the tracheal stoma without sealing the tracheal stoma; means for inflating and deflating the balloon.