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Speech valves designed for use by patients whose larynx (including the vocal cords) is completely removed (i.e., after laryngectomy) and the trachea and esophagus are separated from each other. These devices typically consist of a one-way valve located in a surgical opening created between the trachea and the esophagus (tracheoesophageal puncture); the valve permits air to pass from the lungs and through the trachea into the esophagus. By occluding the external stoma, the air from the lungs can cause vibrations of the esophageal tissue producing a characteristic voice sound (known as tracheoesophageal speech).
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