Tracheoesophageal Puncture
For
tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP), the surgeon makes an opening between the
trachea and the esophagus. The opening
is made at the time of initial surgery or later. A small plastic or silicone valve fits into this opening. The valve keeps food out of the
trachea. After TEP, patients can cover
their stoma with a finger and force air into the esophagus through the valve. The air produces sound by making the walls
of the throat vibrate. The sound is a
lot like natural speech.
< Previous Section | Next Section > |