Evaluations of Blom-Singer tracheoesophageal puncture prostheses performance.

Empirical and theoretical approaches to the assessment of Blom-Singer tracheoesophageal puncture prosthesis performance are described in this paper. The results of empirical studies provide new insights about the behavior of Blom-Singer devices. Namely, the overall average resistance (about 126 cm H2O/LPS) of these devices stems from two major factors: air entrance and air exit effects. The magnitudes of airway resistance for each of these factors and the relative contribution each factor makes to the total airway resistance of these prostheses are delineated. The performance of these devices and modifications thereof are shown to be characterized and predicted quite well using a one-dimensional, spring-constant mathematical model.