- Flutter valve
A flutter valve (also known as the Heimlich valve after its inventor,
Henry Heimlich [cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2825971.stm | title = Heimlich: Still saving lives at 83 | date = 2003-03-09 | accessdate = 2008-09-02 | publisher =BBC | last = Elliott | first = J ] ) is a one wayvalve used in respiratory medicine to prevent air from travelling back along achest tube . It is most commonly used to help remove air from apneumothorax . 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 thepneumothorax is thus evacuated from the patient's chest. [cite web |url= http://intensivecare.hsnet.nsw.gov.au/five/doc/education%20packages/jhh_uwsd_sdlp.pdf |title= John Hunter Hospital Intensive Care Unit Nursing Management of the Patient with an Intercostal Catheter |accessdate=2008-04-18 |format= pdf |pages= 24-25]External links
* [http://www.bd.com/surgical/pdfs/bd_bardparker_heimlich_chest_drain_valve_brochure.pdf Heimlich valve brochure] from BD Bard Parker(tm)
* [http://www.icrc.org/emergency-items/Volume2/03MED/MCTD/112MCTDDTHOV1/112MCTDDTHOV1.htm Heimlich Flutter Valve]
* [http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20050121081.html One way valve for chest drains] from www.freepatentsonline.com
* [http://www.netterimages.com/image/148.htm Illustration of Heimlich flutter valve] from Netter Medical Illustrations (the blue tubular valve)
* [http://www.buyemp.com/product/1010803.html Heimlich Valve as part of a pneumothorax kit] from Emergency Medical Products
* [http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4382442.html Use of Heimlich Valve] from www.freepatentsonline.comReferences
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