CPC A61M 16/0003 (2014.02) [A61M 16/04 (2013.01); A61M 16/0465 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0266 (2013.01); A61M 2205/32 (2013.01); A61M 2207/00 (2013.01); B29C 45/14786 (2013.01); B29L 2031/7546 (2013.01)] | 19 Claims |
1. A device for sealing a tracheostoma in a patient after a tracheostomy, the device comprising:
a seal member configured to be inserted through the tracheostoma to a trachea of the patient, wherein in a first configuration, the seal member is configured to be pulled against a trachea surface that forms an interior opening of the tracheostoma to form a seal and allow the tracheostoma to reduce in size as the tracheostoma heals, and wherein in a second configuration, the seal member is configured to be removable from the trachea through the reduced sized tracheostoma; and
a tension member attached to the seal member, wherein the tension member is configured to apply tension to the seal member to form the seal, wherein the tension member comprises at least one thread configured to be pulled under tension thereby pulling the seal member against the trachea side of the tracheostoma in the first configuration, and wherein the at least one thread is configured to be extendable through the tracheostoma and the at least one thread is configured to be in a tensioning state by pulling the seal member against the trachea surface and extending from the interior opening, along a length of the tracheostoma and through an exterior opening of the tracheostoma while the tracheostoma heals to the reduced size.
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