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Button: decannulation plug for a tracheostomy tube also referred to as a cork, plug, or cap, depending upon the type of tube. Used during the weaning and decannulation process to assist the patient in learning to breathe through the upper airway, the button seals off the outer or inner cannula of the tracheostomy tube.
Cuff: the balloon-like part of an artificial airway (e.g., tracheosotmy tube) that is inflated in the trachea to provide a seal in the airway; usually used during mechanical ventilation to prevent air leaking out the upper airway. May also be used in the presence of copious secretions.
Fenestration: an opening or window. Fenestrations are placed in tracheostomy tubes (outer or inner cannula) to facilitate air passage through the tube and the upper airway.
Inner cannula: the internal portion of a trachesotomy tube that fits within the main or external structure of the tube. May be disposable or nondisposable.
Speaking valves: valves that are placed on the hub or end of a tracheostomy tube to allow air to enter on inspiration, and be directed around the tube and out the upper airway upon expiration. Facilitates voice and may assist with swallowing in some cases, for example, by restoring effective cough. Valves may be one-way or two-way dependent on manufacturer; only some valves may be used for patients on and off the ventilator.
Outer cannula: the portion of the tracheostomy tube that forms the actual body of the tube; the external structure of the tube in which the inner cannula fits.
Talking tracheostomy tube: a tracheostomy tube that has been adapted to permit phonation in the presence of an inflated cuff. Talking tracheostomy tubes contain an external air source that allows air to enter the airway above the level of the tracheostomy tube cuff. Usually used for ventilator dependent patients who cannot tolerate cuff deflation.
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