Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Bell D, Gilcrease-Garcia B, Fortin F, Heimlich valve. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 29 Sep 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-63882
The Heimlich valve, also known as the flutter valve, is a unidirectional valve to ensure that gas/fluid drained from the pleural space cannot flow back in.
The Heimlich valve is cheap, easy to use, and does not require clamping unlike 'traditional' thoracostomy drainage tubes. Suction can still be applied as necessary. Complication rates are low.
History and etymology
Henry Heimlich (1920-2016) 2, was an American thoracic surgeon who first described his eponymous valve in an article published in 1965 3. More famously, he was also the developer of the Heimlich maneuver 1.
- 1. Gogakos A, Barbetakis N, Lazaridis G, Papaiwannou A, Karavergou A, Lampaki S, Baka S, Mpoukovinas I, Karavasilis V, Kioumis I, Pitsiou G, Katsikogiannis N, Tsakiridis K, Rapti A, Trakada G, Zissimopoulos A, Tsirgogianni K, Zarogoulidis K, Zarogoulidis P. Heimlich valve and pneumothorax. (2015) Annals of translational medicine. 3 (4): 54. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2015.03.25 - Pubmed
- 2. Roehr B. Henry Heimlich. (2017) BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 356: j118. Pubmed
- 3. Heimlich HJ. Heimlich flutter valve: effective replacement for drainage bottle. (1965) Hospital topics. 43 (11): 122-3. Pubmed
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