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Review
. 2021 Feb 4:8:544826.
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.544826. eCollection 2021.

Airway Clearance Techniques: The Right Choice for the Right Patient

Stefano Belli  1 , Ilaria Prince  1 , Gloria Savio  1 , Elena Paracchini  1 , Davide Cattaneo  1 , Manuela Bianchi  1 , Francesca Masocco  1 , Maria Teresa Bellanti  1 , Bruno Balbi  1
Affiliations
Review

Airway Clearance Techniques: The Right Choice for the Right Patient

Stefano Belli et al. Front Med (Lausanne). .

Abstract

The management of bronchial secretions is one of the main problems encountered in a wide spectrum of medical conditions ranging from respiratory disorders, neuromuscular disorders and patients undergoing either thoracic or abdominal surgery. The purpose of this review is illustrate to the reader the different ACTs currently available and the related evidence present in literature. Alongside methods with a strong background behind as postural drainage, manual techniques or PEP systems, the current orientation is increasingly aimed at devices that can mobilize and / or remove secretions. Cough Assist, Vacuum Techniques, systems that modulate airflow have more and more scientific evidence. Different principles combination is a new field of investigation that goes toward an increasing of clinical complexity that will facing us.

Keywords: COPD; airway clearance techniques; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; bronchiectasis; disability; negative pressure; positive pressure; rehabilitation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A schematic representation of a proposed algorythm for different ACTs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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