Patent ID: 7156090

Claim:
A tracheostomy tube for enabling speech by a patient, said tracheostomy tube comprising: a hollow tube having an inside tube portion for being located in a trachea, and an outside tube portion adapted to be connected to a ventilator; and a balloon provided on an outer circumferential surface of the inside tube portion, wherein said hollow tube has at least one opening formed in a wall of the inside tube portion, and said balloon is connected to the outer circumferential surface of the inside tube portion above and below the opening so that air can communicate with an interior of the balloon only through the opening, wherein said opening is formed as a mesh, and wherein said balloon is adapted to inflate during inspiration to block a gap between a trachea and the outer circumferential surface of the inside tube portion, and to contract during expiration so as to contact the outer circumferential surface of the inside tube portion so as to allow speech by the patient.