The invention relates to a speaking valve, having at least a housing and an actuation means for actuating the speaking valve, the actuation means having a distal pressure surface that has a first partial surface and a second partial surface, the first partial surface having a first average roughness (Ra1), and the second partial surface having a second average roughness (Ra2), the first average roughness and the second average roughness differing by about at least 0.1 μm.

A minimally invasive magnetic vocal fold manipulator system and method is disclosed. Namely, a magnetic vocal fold manipulator system is provided that includes a magnetics-based thyroid cartilage implant, a magnetics-based arytenoid cartilage implant, and an implant introducer device. Additionally, a method is provided of using the minimally invasive magnetic vocal fold manipulator system for performing lateralization and/or medialization of the vocal cord.

A minimally invasive magnetic vocal fold manipulator system and method is disclosed. Namely, a magnetic vocal fold manipulator system is provided that includes a magnetics-based thyroid cartilage implant, a magnetics-based arytenoid cartilage implant, and an implant introducer device. Additionally, a method is provided of using the minimally invasive magnetic vocal fold manipulator system for performing lateralization and/or medialization of the vocal cord.

A medical device for repositioning tissue within an animal has a main body with a first end portion, a second end portion, and a middle portion. The first end portion defines a series of passageways and the second end portion defines a bulbous shape, a slot, and a tab portion. Methods of treating obstructive sleep apnea are also described.

A medical device for repositioning tissue within an animal has a main body with a first end portion, a second end portion, and a middle portion. The first end portion defines a series of passageways and the second end portion defines a bulbous shape, a slot, and a tab portion. Methods of treating obstructive sleep apnea are also described.

An adjustable tracheostoma valve includes a housing having a first opening that is adapted to open to a tracheostoma and a second opening that opens to ambient. The housing includes a lower housing portion defining the first opening and an upper housing portion movably attached to the lower housing portion and defining the second opening. A closure member is disposed in the housing and adapted to close the second opening. A flexible membrane includes a first region connected to the closure member and a plurality of spiral shaped legs extending from the first region and connected to the housing. The upper and lower housings are axially adjustable relative to one another to adjust an amount of air flow through the valve that would cause closure of the closure member. A heat and moisture exchanger is disposed in the housing between the first opening and the second opening.

A process labeled “voice grafting” can be understood in terms of the source-filter model of speech production as follows: For a patient who has partially or completely lost the ability to phonate, but retained at least a partial ability to articulate, the techniques described herein computationally “graft” the patient's time varying filter function, i.e. articulation, onto a source function, i.e. phonation, which is based on the speech output of one or more healthy speakers, in order to synthesize natural sounding speech in real time.

A process labeled “voice grafting” can be understood in terms of the source-filter model of speech production as follows: For a patient who has partially or completely lost the ability to phonate, but retained at least a partial ability to articulate, the techniques described herein computationally “graft” the patient's time varying filter function, i.e. articulation, onto a source function, i.e. phonation, which is based on the speech output of one or more healthy speakers, in order to synthesize natural sounding speech in real time.

An implant can include a plurality of polymeric fibers associated together into a fibrous body. The fibrous body is capable of being shaped to fit a tracheal defect and capable of being secured in place by suture or by bioadhesive. The fibrous body can have aligned fibers (e.g., circumferentially aligned) or unaligned fibers. The fibrous body can be electrospun. The fibrous body can have a first characteristic in a first gradient distribution across at least a portion of the fibrous body. The fibrous body can include one or more structural reinforcing members, such as ribbon structural reinforcing members, which can be embedded in the plurality of fibers. The fibrous body can include one or more structural reinforcing members bonded to the fibers with liquid polymer as an adhesive, the liquid polymer having a substantially similar composition of the fibers.

An implant can include a plurality of polymeric fibers associated together into a fibrous body. The fibrous body is capable of being shaped to fit a tracheal defect and capable of being secured in place by suture or by bioadhesive. The fibrous body can have aligned fibers (e.g., circumferentially aligned) or unaligned fibers. The fibrous body can be electrospun. The fibrous body can have a first characteristic in a first gradient distribution across at least a portion of the fibrous body. The fibrous body can include one or more structural reinforcing members, such as ribbon structural reinforcing members, which can be embedded in the plurality of fibers. The fibrous body can include one or more structural reinforcing members bonded to the fibers with liquid polymer as an adhesive, the liquid polymer having a substantially similar composition of the fibers.