The surgical creation of a passage between the trachea and esophagus. It is used for vocal restoration in patients who have undergone laryngectomy. The technique provides air to the esophagus. The patient is trained to use that air to make vibrations that recreate speech.
A surgically created connection between the trachea and the esophagus made for a patient who has had his voice box (larynx) removed; it permits the patient to force air from the lungs through the windpipe into the esophagus, and from there out of the mouth in order to speak. A one-way valve, or “shunt,” is placed into the tracheoesophageal opening. The patient learns to speak using the TEP with the help of a speech therapist.