Ceramic components manufacturer Morgan Technical Ceramics (morgantechnicalceramics.com), Worcestershire, England, is working with University of Hull spin-off company, Avoco Medical Ltd (avocomedical.com), Hull, UK, on a speech-restoration project for patients with throat cancer. The company is taking to market a speech valve that uses zirconia ceramic components that enable valve life to increase, resulting in less frequent valve changes for patients. Up to 15% of patients diagnosed with throat cancer every year require a laryngectomy (removal of the larynx), which results in speech loss. Some speech and vocal function can be restored through the use of valves that reconnect the trachea (wind pipe) and esophagus (food pipe). Current valve designs consist of a tube (stent) and incorporate a flap that opens as air is forced through.

Traditionally the valve is made from silicone rubber, but as the material is exposed to a hostile and nonsterile environment, a biofilm develops on the surface. As a result, the performance of the valve deteriorates so that it has to be replaced, typically every three months, which is a distressing procedure for the patient and costly to healthcare providers.

Ceramic has a hard, impervious surface, which makes it more resistant to the hostile environment. Laboratory tests have shown that ceramic valves should last more than two years — at least eight times longer than silicone ones.