Even though I’m on a vent, my lungs do a pretty good job of keeping themselves clear. It might take me a little longer to cough something up, but I eventually get the job done. On rare occasions, I sometimes need a little assistance in the form of some rigorous chest percussions. It’s a crude but effective method. However, subtler means of maintaining good pulmonary health are now becoming available. The Lung Flute is one of those simple yet ingenious devices that, in retrospect, seem obvious. When an individual blows into the Lung Flute, it creates sympathetic vibrations in the chest cavity that vibrate the hair-like cilia in the lungs. The cilia are responsible for sweeping mucus up to the throat, where it can then be swallowed or spat out.
I’ll probably stick with the occasional chest beating, if for no other reason than to satisfy my masochistic urges. But for people with cystic fibrosis or other pulmonary conditions, the Wand could be quite useful.
don’t you ever have to suction?