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[Guest guest]

Source: " Respiratory Care "

For the past 70 years positioning and postural drainage have played

an important role in increasing lung volumes, perfusion, oxygenation

and mobilization of secretions. While gravity is not a primary

mechanism for normal secretion clearance, it plays a major role in

depth and pattern of ventilation, perfusion, and lymphatic drainage.

Changing patient position, or turning patients on a regular basis, is

a powerful tool in maintaining lung health in a broad range of

patients. In contrast, postural drainage requires considerable

investment of time, and has been shown to have limited benefit in

most patients. Postural drainage has been shown to improve

mobilization of secretions in patients with cystic fibrosis as well

as patients who produce, and have difficulty clearing, large

quantities of sputum. The benefits of postural drainage appear

technique-dependent, requiring sufficient drainage time (3 - 15 min)

for each position drained. The evidence does not support the use of

vibration and percussion independent of active postural drainage.

Exercise offers benefit in secretion clearance, which increases when

combined with a program of postural drainage. In conclusion, routine

turning, mobilization and exercise is important to maintain lung

health in all patients, while postural drainage, properly applied,

has been shown to improve secretion clearance in a relatively narrow

range of patients with cystic fibrosis and excessive sputum

production.

Some more light reading to ponder when considering methods of Chest

PT. I say why not try'em all. If one isn't working by itself....

maybe trying another method in addition could help clear the tough

stuff out.

I found this article in MDlinx.com

Take care,

Binegar 31 w/cf cepacia 11 years