TRACHEO ESOPHAGEAL VOICE PROSTHESIS

Abstract

The disclosure relates to voice prosthesis device that enables a laryngectomy patient to speak. The voice prosthesis device has a cylinder including a first end and a second end. An inner washer is attached to the first end and an outer washer is attached to the second end. A partial shutter is coupled to the first end of the cylinder. A shutter guard is placed at the inner part of the inner washer and is fixed to the cylinder. The device further includes plurality of rings. The partial shutter is made of platinum cured silicon and opens relatively to allow exhaled air to pass from the second end to the first end and prevents entry of food particles into the second end.

Claims

1. A voice prosthesis device to enable a laryngectomy patient to speak, wherein the voice prosthesis device comprises: a. a cylinder comprising a first end and a second end; b. an inner washer attached to the first end of the cylinder; c. an outer washer attached to the second end of the cylinder; d. a partial shutter coupled to the first end of the cylinder; e. a shutter guard placed at the inner part of the inner washer, wherein the shutter guard is fixed to the cylinder; and f. at least one ring added to the first end or second end of the cylinder.

2. The voice prosthesis device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first end further comprises a first opening facing towards the patient's esophagus and the second end further comprises second opening facing towards the patient's trachea.

3. The voice prosthesis device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner washer is placed diametrically opposite to the outer washer.

4. The voice prosthesis device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partial shutter is made up of platinum cured silicon and exhibits high tear strength.

5. The voice prosthesis device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partial shutter opens partially and allows the exhaled air to pass from the second end to the first end through the cylinder.

6. The voice prosthesis device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shutter guard prevents the food particles from pushing the partial shutter inwards and prevents the-entry of food particles from the first end into the second end.

7. The voice prosthesis device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one ring is made up of silicon and reduces a piston effect and prevents peri prosthetic leakage of food.

8. The voice prosthesis device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thickness of the partial shutter is has a thickness between 3 mm to 7 mm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates the perspective view of the voice prosthesis device.

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates the exploded view of the voice prosthesis device.

[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates the view of the implantation of the voice prosthesis device in a patient after laryngectomy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] In order to more clearly and concisely describe and point out the subject matter of the claimed invention, the following definitions are provided for specific terms, which are used in the following written description.

[0020] The term Prosthesis refers to a device designed to replace a missing part of the body or to make a part of the body work better.

[0021] The term Laryngectomy refers to removal of the larynx and separation of the airway from the mouth, nose and esophagus.

[0022] The present invention relates to a voice prosthesis device, which is implanted in the trachea esophageal region that enables laryngectomy patient to speak. In patients undergoing laryngectomy, the larynx is removed and as a result the trachea and esophagus are separated from each other. An opening, called as tracheo-esophageal puncture, is created between the trachea and esophagus. The prosthesis is implanted into tracheo-esophageal puncture that enables the patient to speak.

[0023] The voice prosthesis comprises a cylinder, which further comprises a first end and a second end, an outer washer, an inner washer, a partial shutter, a shutter guard and rings.

[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates the perspective view of the voice prosthesis device. According to an embodiment of an invention, the voice prosthesis device (100) comprises a cylinder (101), which includes a first end (107) and a second end (108) and an inner washer (102) attached to the first end (107) of the cylinder (101). An outer washer (103) is attached to the second end (108) of the cylinder (101) and a partial shutter (104) is coupled to the first end (107) of the cylinder (101). The device further includes a shutter guard (105) placed at the inner part of the inner washer (102) further fixed to the cylinder (101). The device further includes plurality of rings (106). The first end (107) of the cylinder (101) further comprises a first opening facing towards an esophagus. The first end (107) of the cylinder (101) accommodates the partial shutter (104). The second end (108) of the cylinder (101) further comprises a second opening facing towards a trachea. The inner washer (102) stabilizes the voice prosthesis device (100) at the first end (107) thus preventing an inward movement of the voice prosthesis device (100) into the trachea. The outer washer (103) stabilizes the voice prosthesis device (100) at the second end (108) to prevent an inward movement of the voice prosthesis (100) into the esophagus. Further, the inner washer (102) is placed diametrically opposite to the outer washer (103). The thickness of the outer washer (103) diametrically ranges from 40 mm to 45 mm.

[0025] The portion of the partial shutter (104) is coupled to the first end (107) of the cylinder (101). The partial shutter (104) opens relatively and allows the exhaled air to pass from the second end (108) to the first end (107) through the cylinder (101) i.e. from the trachea into the esophagus. Secondly, the partial shutter (104) prevents entry of the food particles into the second end (108) when the air is exhaled from the lungs.

[0026] The inner washer (102) accommodates a shutter guard (105). The shutter guard (105) is placed at the inner part of the inner washer (102) and is fixed to the cylinder (101). In a preferred embodiment, the shutter guard (105) is made up of medical grade material. The presence of shutter guard (105) prevents the food particles from pushing the partial shutter (104) inwards and prevents the entry of food particles from the first end (107) into the second end (108).

[0027] The voice prosthesis device (100) comprises one or more rings (106), which are added to first end or the the second end (108) of the cylinder (101). The rings are circular in shape and are preferably made up of silicon (106). The number of rings (106) varies and depends on the size of the voice prosthesis device (100) required to be placed in the trache-esophageal puncture of the patient. In most preferable embodiment, the thickness of the rings (106) is 1 mm with a 5 mm aperture at the center. The rings (106) also acts as washer to adapt into the second end (108) in case the size of the voice prosthesis device (100) required for trachea-esophageal puncture is low in a patient. Further, one or more rings (106) are also added as washer to reduce the size of the voice prosthesis device (100). The presence of rings (106) further reduces the piston effect and prevents peri prosthetic leakage of food in patients with thinner partition wall.

[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates the exploded view of the voice prosthesis device. The portion of the partial shutter (104) is coupled to the first end (107) of the cylinder (101). The partial shutter (104) prevents entry of the food particles into the second end (108) when the air is exhaled from the lungs. The partial shutter (104) is preferably made up of platinum cured silicon material, which exhibits higher tear strength and is more flexible as compared to silicon, which is frequently used in the voice prosthesis device. The thickness of the partial shutter (104) diametrically varies from 3 mm to 7 mm.

[0029] FIG. 3 illustrates the view of the implantation of the voice prosthesis device in a patient after laryngectomy. The implantation of the voice prosthesis device (100) into a patient after laryngectomy allows the patient to speak even in the absence of laryx. The partial shutter (104) enables the patient to speak through the voice prosthesis device (100). When the air is inhaled by the patient, the partial shutter (104) is at the open position at the second end (108) and allows the air into the esophagus from the trachea and further allows the air to be delivered from the lungs into the esophagus as it is expelled through the mouth. This passage of the air from the esophagus to the mouth results in the vibration of the tissues in the pharynx thus producing the sound.

[0030] The voice prosthesis device is noninvasive, simple and more efficient in producing the voice and is made up of platinum cured silicon, which exhibits high tear strength and is flexible. The addition of silicon rings to the voice prosthesis device prevents the piston effect and peri-prosthetic leakage in patient with thinner tracheo-esophageal puncture. The voice prosthesis device is economical and cost-effective and is affordable especilly in developing countries.