From the Guidelines
Another medical term for a flutter valve is a Heimlich valve. This terminology is used interchangeably to describe a one-way valve used in chest drainage systems, as mentioned in the guidelines for radiologically guided lung biopsy 1.
Key Characteristics of a Heimlich Valve
- Allows air and fluid to exit the pleural space while preventing backflow
- Useful in treating pneumothorax by maintaining negative pressure in the pleural cavity
- Consists of a rubber sleeve that collapses during inspiration and opens during expiration
- Often attached to chest tubes for both hospital and ambulatory use
Clinical Applications
- Enables patient mobility and reduces hospital stays
- Can be managed on an outpatient basis in appropriate cases, as suggested by the BTS guidelines on the management of pneumothorax 1
- Particularly advantageous for patients with small pneumothorax or those who require prolonged drainage, allowing for outpatient management with the Heimlich one-way flutter valve 1
From the Research
Medical Term for Flutter Valve
- Another medical term for a flutter valve is the Heimlich valve, as mentioned in several studies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Characteristics of Heimlich Valve
- The Heimlich valve is a small one-way valve used for chest drainage that empties into a flexible collection device and prevents return of gases or fluids into the pleural space 2.
- It is less than 13 cm (5 inches) long and facilitates patient ambulation 2.
- The valve system has replaced the cumbersome underwater drainage bottle system and allows fluid and air to pass in one direction only 2, 3.
Advantages of Heimlich Valve
- The Heimlich valve precludes the need for the cumbersome apparatus of under water seal drainage and therefore avoids the well-known possible dangers of connecting an intrapleural catheter to a water trap 3.
- It provides immediate mobility of the patient 3 and reduces the duration of chest drainage and the length of hospital stay 5.