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ARTIFICIAL COUGHING FOR PATIENTS WITH RESPIRATORY PARALYSIS
Author(s) -
COLEBATCH H. J. H.
Publication year - 1961
Publication title -
australasian annals of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0571-9283
DOI - 10.1111/imj.1961.10.3.201
Subject(s) - medicine , anesthesia , respiratory system , tracheotomy , paralysis , respiratory paralysis , unconsciousness , exsufflation , artificial respiration , surgery , artificial ventilation , breathing , lung , respiratory disease , insufflation
Summary A simple machine by which exsufflation with negative pressure (E.W.N.P.) can be performed to provide an artificial cough is described. Artificial coughing by this means allowed the control of lung complications in 20 patients with respiratory paralysis in whom retained bronchial secretions were an important problem. Massive collapse was relieved on eight occasions in seven patients. Prophylactic coughing makes possible the removal of a tracheotomy tube from patients with negligible respiratory muscle power. E.W.N.P. produces changes essentially similar to those occurring during normal human coughing and does not appear to have any harmful effect on the lungs or circulation. Besides patients with respiratory muscle weakness, artificial coughing is likely to be of greatest value in conditions in which there is prolonged unconsciousness.