Flutter valve
Encyclopedia
A flutter valve is a one-way valve
used in respiratory medicine to prevent air from travelling back along a chest tube
. It is most commonly used to help remove air from a pneumothorax
. The valve is usually designed as a rubber sleeve within a plastic case where the rubber sleeve is arranged so that when air passes through the valve one way the sleeve opens and lets the air through. However when air is sucked back the other way the sleeve closes off and no air is allowed backwards. This construction enables it to act as a one-way valve allowing air (or fluid) to flow only one way along the drainage tube. The end of the drainage tube is placed inside the patient's chest cavity, within the air or fluid to be drained. The flutter valve is placed in the appropriate orientation (most packages are designed so the valve can only be connected in the appropriate orientation) and the pneumothorax
is thus evacuated from the patient's chest.
There are several potential problems with these valves. One is that the chest tube can clog. When chest tube clogging occurs, the pneumothorax
or subcutaneous emphysema
can recur. This can also lead to empyema
. The other is that these tend to leak fluid. To address this, some have turned to small chest drainage alternatives, such as the Atrium Mini or the Teleflex Mini Sahara. An alternative solution is to attach a sputum trap to the valve, thus providing a reservoir to capture the draining fluid.
Valve
A valve is a device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category...
used in respiratory medicine to prevent air from travelling back along a chest tube
Chest tube
A chest tube is a flexible plastic tube that is inserted through the side of the chest into the pleural space. It is used to remove air or fluid , or pus from the intrathoracic space...
. It is most commonly used to help remove air from a pneumothorax
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is a collection of air or gas in the pleural cavity of the chest between the lung and the chest wall. It may occur spontaneously in people without chronic lung conditions as well as in those with lung disease , and many pneumothoraces occur after physical trauma to the chest, blast...
. The valve is usually designed as a rubber sleeve within a plastic case where the rubber sleeve is arranged so that when air passes through the valve one way the sleeve opens and lets the air through. However when air is sucked back the other way the sleeve closes off and no air is allowed backwards. This construction enables it to act as a one-way valve allowing air (or fluid) to flow only one way along the drainage tube. The end of the drainage tube is placed inside the patient's chest cavity, within the air or fluid to be drained. The flutter valve is placed in the appropriate orientation (most packages are designed so the valve can only be connected in the appropriate orientation) and the pneumothorax
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is a collection of air or gas in the pleural cavity of the chest between the lung and the chest wall. It may occur spontaneously in people without chronic lung conditions as well as in those with lung disease , and many pneumothoraces occur after physical trauma to the chest, blast...
is thus evacuated from the patient's chest.
There are several potential problems with these valves. One is that the chest tube can clog. When chest tube clogging occurs, the pneumothorax
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is a collection of air or gas in the pleural cavity of the chest between the lung and the chest wall. It may occur spontaneously in people without chronic lung conditions as well as in those with lung disease , and many pneumothoraces occur after physical trauma to the chest, blast...
or subcutaneous emphysema
Subcutaneous emphysema
Subcutaneous emphysema, sometimes abbreviated SCE or SE and also called tissue emphysema, or Sub Q air, occurs when gas or air is present in the subcutaneous layer of the skin. Subcutaneous refers to the tissue beneath the cutis of the skin, and emphysema refers to trapped air...
can recur. This can also lead to empyema
Empyema
Pleural empyema is an accumulation of pus in the pleural cavity. Most pleural empyemas arise from an infection within the lung , often associated with parapneumonic effusions. There are three stages: exudative, fibrinopurulent and organizing. In the exudative stage, the pus accumulates...
. The other is that these tend to leak fluid. To address this, some have turned to small chest drainage alternatives, such as the Atrium Mini or the Teleflex Mini Sahara. An alternative solution is to attach a sputum trap to the valve, thus providing a reservoir to capture the draining fluid.
External links
- Heimlich valve brochure from BD Bard Parker(tm)
- Heimlich Flutter Valve
- One way valve for chest drains from www.freepatentsonline.com
- Illustration of Heimlich flutter valve from Netter Medical Illustrations (the blue tubular valve)
- Heimlich Valve as part of a pneumothorax kit from Emergency Medical Products
- Use of Heimlich Valve from www.freepatentsonline.com