Passy-Muir Valve: Models, Specifications and Safe Handling

This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.

A Passy-Muir valve is a small one-way valve that attaches to the 15 mm hub of a tracheostomy tube. This page is for clinic staff, buyers and students who need to tell the models apart, know which tubing and tube types each fits, and know what the manufacturer’s instructions say about contraindications, cleaning and replacement.

What a Passy-Muir valve is

The manufacturer, Passy-Muir, calls its products Tracheostomy & Ventilator Swallowing and Speaking Valves (PMVs). Its instructions describe them as lightweight, one-way, closed-position “no leak” valves that attach to the universal 15 mm hub of adult, pediatric and neonatal tracheostomy tubes, including fenestrated, non-fenestrated, cuffless, metal and air-filled cuffed tubes with the cuff completely deflated. Tracheostomy tubes themselves are covered in what a tracheostomy tube is. Who uses it: the instructions are written for healthcare professionals, and the device is sold by or on the order of a physician in the USA.

How it is built and how it works

The valve is biased closed. It opens when the patient inhales, closes automatically at the end of inspiration and stays closed throughout exhalation without leakage. Exhaled air is then redirected around the tracheostomy tube and up through the larynx and pharynx, which is what allows speech. This is the difference from “open position” one-way speaking valves, which the instructions contrast with the closed-position design.

The instructions state that the design removes the need for finger occlusion of the tube. The manufacturer also lists benefits including speech, swallowing, secretion management, weaning, decannulation, olfaction and hygiene, and adds that the patient’s aspiration risk must be evaluated.

Models and variants

The 2020 instruction booklet covers four models; a fifth, the PMV 2020, has its own booklet. All figures below are from that booklet.

Model	Connector size	Included or compatible items	Key difference
PMV 005 (white)	15 mm I.D. / 23 mm O.D.	Instruction booklet, handbook, storage container, labels	23 mm O.D. needs short, wide-mouth, flexible, non-disposable (rubber) ventilator tubing
PMV 007 (Aqua Color)	15 mm I.D. / 22 mm O.D. (dual taper)	Same kit contents as the 005	Designed to fit directly into disposable ventilator tubing; also fits wide-mouth rubber tubing
PMV 2000 (clear), low profile	15 mm I.D. / 23 mm O.D.	Kit includes a PMV Secure-It attachment	23 mm O.D., so non-disposable rubber tubing like the 005
PMV 2001 (Purple Color), low profile	15 mm I.D. / 23 mm O.D.	Kit includes a PMV Secure-It attachment	As the 2000, in purple
PMV 2020 (clear)	15 mm I.D. / 23 mm O.D.	Own instruction booklet	Designed for Premier Medical or Pilling Weck metal Jackson Improved tubes; the four-model booklet does not apply to it

Source for the table: Passy-Muir instruction booklet, models 005/007/2000/2001, checked 2026-10-30. The 2026 multilingual instructions (IBV/I/R0925) are a newer edition.

Specifications that matter

• Hub connection: 15 mm. Outer diameter is 23 mm on the 005, 2000, 2001 and 2020, and 22 mm on the 007.
• Ventilator use: the 005, 007, 2000 and 2001 can be used on or off a ventilator depending on the tubing. The 005, 2000 and 2001 must not be used with disposable ventilator tubing; the 007 is the model designed for it. The PMV Secure-It must not be attached when the 2000 or 2001 is in line with a ventilator.
• Latex: not made with natural rubber latex.
• Sterility: the kit contents are non-sterile.
• Use limit: single patient use only.
• Storage: a cool, dry place.

Compatibility checks before ordering

The only selection criteria the instructions state are fit and compatibility, so these are the ones to check:

• The tube must have a 15 mm hub. Some metal tubes need the PMV 2020; other metal tubes may need a 15 mm hub from the tube maker.
• If a ventilator circuit is involved, match the valve’s outer diameter to the tubing: disposable tubing points to the 007, non-disposable rubber tubing suits the 005, 2000 and 2001.
• With the 005 and a disposable inner cannula whose grasp ring extends beyond the 15 mm hub, the inner cannula may need to be removed before the valve is placed.
• The valve is not intended for endotracheal tubes (see what an endotracheal tube is).

Whether a valve is appropriate for a particular patient is a clinical decision made by the treating clinician, not a purchasing one.

Safe use and handling basics

From the manufacturer’s instructions:

• The tube cuff must be completely deflated before the valve is placed. The instructions warn the patient will be unable to breathe if it is not.
• Patients using the valve must be observed or monitored as the physician directs.
• Remove the valve before medicated nebulizer treatments; if it was used during one, remove it immediately.
• With a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) or hygroscopic condenser humidifier (HCH), extra humidification may be needed.
• Do not use a damaged or altered valve (2026 edition).

Contraindications listed by the manufacturer

Unconscious or comatose patients; an inflated tube cuff; a foam-filled cuffed tube; severe airway obstruction that may prevent sufficient exhalation; thick and copious secretions; severely reduced lung elasticity that may cause air trapping; gross aspiration (listed in the 2026 edition); and use with endotracheal tubes.

Cleaning, storage and replacement

• Ideally the patient has a back-up valve so one can be cleaned while the other is in use.
• Clean daily after wearing: swish in soapy warm (not hot) water, rinse thoroughly with warm water, and let it air dry fully before it goes in the storage container. Do not apply heat. The Secure-It is cleaned the same way.
• Do not use hot water, peroxide, bleach, vinegar, alcohol, brushes or cotton swabs, and do not autoclave.
• Each valve is designed to last a minimum of two months. Replace it if it becomes sticky, noisy or vibrates, or shows increased resistance on inspiration. The 2026 edition says to replace it every two months or sooner if damaged, sticky or noisy.

For how accessories like this fit into a wider stocking list, see the long-term acute care hospital supply checklist.

Common mistakes the instructions warn against

• Placing the valve with the cuff inflated or only partly deflated.
• Using a 23 mm model with disposable ventilator tubing.
• Cleaning with hot water, bleach, alcohol, peroxide or a brush, or putting the valve in an autoclave.
• Keeping a valve that has turned sticky, noisy or vibrating.
• Using one valve for more than one patient.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Passy-Muir valve the same as a speaking valve?

It is one brand of speaking valve. The manufacturer’s name for it is a swallowing and speaking valve, and it differs from open-position one-way valves by staying closed except during inspiration.

Does it need a prescription?

The label states that US federal law restricts the device to sale by or on the order of a physician.

Can it be reused?

By the same patient, yes: it is a single-patient device designed to last at least two months with daily cleaning. It is not for use between patients.

Can it be sterilized in an autoclave?

No. The instructions say not to autoclave it.

Sources

Links checked 2026-10-30.

• Passy-Muir, Instruction Booklet for PMV 005, 007, 2000, 2001, checked 2026-10-30.
• Passy-Muir, Instructions for use IBV/I/R0925 (2026), checked 2026-10-30.
• Passy-Muir, Valves page, checked 2026-10-30.