Abstract: An apparatus to assist esophageal speech in an individual who has undergone a laryngectomy who has a tracheastome and a tracheal-esophageal fistula. The apparatus comprising an elastomeric tube with an open tracheal end and an esophageal end having a one-way slit valve normally closed which allows air to be diverted from the trachea to the esophagus when the tracheastome is sealed and the patient exhales. The elastomeric air tube has an elliptical cross section which contributes to higher rates of air flow and comfortable expiration pressures by reducing the bending movement of the portions of the tube located on either side of the slit or flapper valve. The contacting surfaces of the slit valve are coated with an adhesion-reducing compound to further reduce opening pressure. A retaining flange formed in a plane extending generally perpendicularly from the air tube does not cover the portion of the neck having the tracheastome, thus forming no significant obstruction to breathing.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for elevating the temperature of a tumor (22) by hyperthermia without unduly heating healthy tissue surrounding the tumor containing tissue, and controlling generally the temperature distribution within any dielectric medium put in place of the tissue (20), which medium acts as a dielectric load in the microwave circuit. The apparatus comprises a gapped, resonant microwave circuit having matching media for matching the intrinsic impedance of the dielectric load to the intrinsic impedance of any medium within the waveguides (16) and 16') which serve to conduct the microwave beams to the tissue (20) to be treated. Heat may be removed from the dielectric fluid (38) of a dielectric matching medium by circulating the dielectric fluid to a heat exchanger (41).