Above Cuff Vocalization for Patients with Tracheostomy: An Evidence Informed, Interprofessional Practice Guidance (2026).

Abstract

Loss of verbal communication following tracheostomy is associated with substantial patient distress, reduced quality of life, and impaired participation in care. Many patients with cuffed tracheostomy tubes are unable to tolerate cuff deflation or one-way speaking valves due to ventilatory dependence or airway instability, limiting access to traditional voicing strategies. Above cuff vocalization (ACV) enables phonation while the tracheostomy cuff remains inflated by delivering low-flow gas through a dedicated speech lumen. Despite increasing evidence supporting its feasibility and communication benefits, adoption of ACV remains inconsistent across institutions, partly due to safety concerns and the absence of standardized interprofessional practice guidance. To develop evidence-informed, implementation-focused interprofessional practice guidance to support the safe initiation, use, monitoring, and discontinuation of ACV in adults with tracheostomy. This practice guidance was developed using a structured narrative review of peer-reviewed literature addressing ACV mechanisms, feasibility, safety, communication outcomes, and implementation in acute and post-acute care settings, combined with interprofessional clinical expertise in tracheostomy care, speech-language pathology, respiratory therapy, nursing, and medicine. Development and reporting were informed by the Reporting Items for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) statement. Formal evidence grading systems were not applied because the available literature consists primarily of observational and implementation studies; recommendations are therefore evidence-informed and consensus-supported. Key recommendations emphasize structured patient selection; interprofessional, speech-language pathology-led initiation; low-flow gas titration to the minimum effective level required for phonation; time-limited use with continuous clinical observation; and explicit safeguards to mitigate known risks, including air trapping, mucosal injury, and equipment misconnection. The guidance also outlines interprofessional roles, standardized procedures, monitoring requirements, documentation expectations, and escalation pathways to support safe implementation. This evidence-informed practice guidance translates the existing ACV literature into actionable clinical recommendations designed to support safe and consistent implementation across care settings. Adoption of standardized ACV practices may facilitate earlier restoration of speech, enhance patient communication and experience, and maintain airway safety in selected adults with cuffed tracheostomy tubes.