ArticleActa anaesthesiologica Scandinavica2021
Above cuff vocalisation (ACV): A scoping review.
Article in Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- Above Cuff Vocalization for Patients with Tracheostomy: An Evidence Informed, Interprofessional Practice Guidance (2026).Tracheostomy (Warrenville, Ill.) · 2026Article
- The collaboration of RTs and SLPs in German centers for weaning from mechanical ventilation in neurological and neurosurgical early rehabilitation - results from an online survey.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2026Article
- Decannulation ahead: a comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic framework for tracheotomized neurological patients.Neurological research and practice · 2025Review
- A Multidisciplinary Approach to Verbal Communication Interventions for Mechanically Ventilated Adults With a Tracheostomy.Respiratory care · 2023Review
- Communication with mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care units: A concept analysis.Journal of advanced nursing · 2023Review
- Above cuff vocalisation (ACV): A scoping review.Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionPatients in intensive care frequently suffer from not being able to communicate verbally. The aim of this scoping review was to study the safety and effectiveness of the above cuff vocalisation (ACV) on speech and quality of life (QOL) in patients dependent on a cuffed tracheostomy.
methodsA scoping review was conducted. The databases Ovid Medline, Cochrane Library, and Embase were systematically searched in May 2020. We included clinical studies with patients exposed to ACV where speech, QOL or safety issues were assessed.
resultsOverall, 17 studies were included, of which 15 were observational and 2 were randomised controlled trials. Totally, 231 patients were included. ACV enabled most of the included patients (115/131; 88%) to speak with an audible voice or whisper (moderate quality of evidence). Voice related QOL (V-RQOL) and QOL in mechanically ventilated patients (QOL-MV) improved from pre- to post- ACV compared to a control group not tolerating a one-way speaking valve (P = .01 and P = .04, respectively) (very low quality of evidence). Several minor complications or problems were reported in 20/75 (27%) cases in addition to two serious adverse events: subcutaneous emphysema in one patient where the tracheostomy was dislodged and a distended trachea in another due to the misconnection of continuous gas to the cuff (low/ very low quality of evidence).
conclusionACV facilitated communication in patients dependent on a cuffed tracheostomy and attempting to communicate. Quality of evidence in improved V-RQOL and QOL-MV was very low. Several minor complications and two serious adverse events were reported.
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