Airway Clearance Interventions Flashcards
Define obstructive lung disease.
Obstructive lung disease is characterized by chronic inflammation and narrowed airways.
- Making it difficult to exhale air completely.
- Examples
- COPD
- Emphysema
- Asthma
- Chronic Bronchitis
- Bronchiectasis
- Cystic Fibrosis
What is the purpose of postural drainage?
Postural Drainage:
- Uses gravity to drain secretions from specific lung segments toward central airways for easier removal.
- Improves ability to clear out secretions in lower lobes thatcannot be cleared with cough or other breathing techniques.
- Often combined with other airway clearance techniques.
Define percussion and vibration in airway clearance.
Percussion:
- Involves rhythmic clapping on the chest to loosen mucus.
- Should last for several minutes and should not be painful (3-5 min/lobe, 100-480/minute).
- Purpose to loosen up mucus and increase mucociliary clearance
Vibration:
- Applies a fine, tremulous action during exhalation to aid mucus clearance.
- Completed for 3-5 exhalations
What is…
- Active Cycle of Breathing (ACB) = ?
- Phases = ?
Active Cycle of Breathing (ACB):
- A series of breathing maneuvers performed to independently clear secretions and improve thoracic expansion.
- Phases:
- (1) Breathing control: Performs diaphragmatic breathing at normal tidal volume for 5-10 seconds
- (2) Thoracic expansion exercises: 3-4 deep, slow, relaxed inhalations to inspiratory reserve volume with passive exhalation. Can include 3 second hold at top of full inhalation.
- (3) Forced expiratory technique: 1-2 huffs at mid to low lung volumes
What is…
- Autogenic drainage = ?
- Phases = ?
Autogenic Drainage:
- A controlled breathing technique to mobilize secretions without coughing or postural drainage, using varying lung volumes and expiratory flows.
- More beneficial for patients who cannot tolerate postural drainage patients or increased thoracic pressure.
Phases:
1) Unsticking phase (Small Breath):
- Slowly breath in through the nose at low-lung volumes followed by a 2-3 second breath hold to allow collateral ventilation to get to air behind the secretions
- Then exhale down into expiratory reserve volume
- Repeat 2-3 times
2) Collecting Phase (Medium Breath):
- Tidal volume breathing, interspersed by 2-3 second breath-holds
- Repeat 2-3 times
3) Evacuating Phase (Large Breath):
- Deeper inspiration from low-to-mid inspiratory reserve volume
- Hold breath for minimum of 3 seconds, then an active but not forced expiration through an open glottis
- Huffing technique can be used as well in this phase
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What does hypoxemia mean?
Hypoxemia refers to low oxygen levels in the blood
- PaO2 (partial pressure of oxygen) < 55 mmHg, or
- SaO2 (oxygen saturation of hemoglobin) < 88% on room air
What is the purpose of a directed cough?
A directed cough aims to expel mucus and secretions from the airways by using a series of controlled breathing and coughing techniques.
What is a contraindication for postural drainage?
- elevated intracranial pressure
- recent spinal surgery
- pulmonary embolism
- rib fractures
- active hemorrhage
What is high-frequency airway oscillation?
High-frequency Airway Oscillation:
- Devices that combine positive expiratory pressure and high frequency airway vibrations to mobilize mucus secretions in the airways
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Common devices: acapella and flutter
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Define the Trendelenburg position in airway clearance.
Trendelenburg Position:
- Optimal for facilitating secretion drainage from the lower lobes of the lung
- Supine with foot of bed elevated so head is declined below feet.
What are the main goals of airway clearance techniques?
- Optimize airway patency
- Increase ventilation and perfusion matching
- Promote alveolar expansion and ventilation
- Improve gas exchange
- Clear out secretions
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What are the primary components of a directed cough?
Effective cough stages:
- Inspiration greater than tidal volume, maximal inhale as possible
- Closure of glottis with holding breath for 2-3 seconds.
- Contract the abdominal and intercostal muscles to produce increased intrathoracic pressure against the closed glottis.
- Sudden opening of the glottis and forceful expulsion of the inspired air by coughing sharply 2-3 times
How does the huff technique differ from a cough?
- Huff: Good alternative to cough if coughing is too painful
- Steps to huffing
- Sit up in upright position
- Take a deep breath in through an open mouth
- Hold for 1-2 seconds
- Forcefully and quickly exhaling 2-3 bursts of air without glottis closure
- Tips for huffing
- Huffing sound as if patient was saying “Hu-Ff” or “Ha Ha Ha” (Hu = vibration of mucus / Ff = abdominal contraction)
- Longer sounds help for smaller airways, shorter sounds help with larger airways
- Splinting can be used to assist with tolerance
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What are the phases of the Active Cycle of Breathing (ACB)?
The phases include:
- breathing control
- thoracic expansion exercises
- forced expiratory technique
What are contraindications for percussion and vibration techniques?
Contraindications include recent thoracic surgery, burns, open wounds, osteoporosis, and active bronchospasms.
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How does high-frequency airway oscillation improve airway clearance?
It combines positive expiratory pressure and vibrations to mobilize mucus and enhance secretion clearance.
What is the role of supplemental oxygen in pulmonary interventions?
Supplemental oxygen:
- improves oxygen saturation
- supports exercise tolerance
- reduces dyspnea
in patients w/ hypoxemi
How would you differentiate between the huff and cough techniques?
- Huffing uses forceful exhalation without glottis closure, reducing pain and strain.
- Coughing involves glottis closure and higher intrathoracic pressure to expel mucus.