Voice restoration with the advantage tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the Blom-Singer indwelling Advantage tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis (TEP) extends prosthesis life span significantly in patients with documented premature device failure due to fungal colonization.STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Data were collected in a prospective manner on a total of 42 standard indwelling TEP users who exhibited early device failure, that is, between 2 weeks and 6 months, due to fungal colonization of the flap valve despite appropriate use of oral antifungal agents. There were 29 men and 13 women, whose ages ranged from 36 years 10 months to 86 years 8 months.METHODS: Baseline data were derived from the average number of days 3 previous standard indwelling prostheses functioned before leaking. An Advantage indwelling TEP was placed after the third change, oral antifungal agents stopped, and routine care implemented, that is, flush and brush the device in situ twice each day. Each participant was assigned to 1 of 3 groups. Group 1 had device failure equal ...