Adjunctive Respiratory Therapies

OVERVIEW

  • Goal = to help clear secretions

SUMMARY

Mucociliary Clearance Optimization

  • physiotherapy: percussion, postural drainage, chest vibration
  • suctioning: PO, NP, ETT
  • continuous rotational therapy: special beds that change patient position (lower rates of pneumonia and atelectasis but doesn’t translate into other outcome data)
  • positive expiratory pressure devices: facemask/mouth piece that provides resistance to airflow on expiration -> helps mobilize secretions.
  • assisted coughing: huffing or abdominal/thoracic compression on expiration
  • forced expiration
  • closed chest oscillation
  • bronchoscopy
  • manual hyperinflation: a form of recruitment
  • bronchodilators: nebulization, MDI’s
  • mucoactive agents: induce bronchospasm -> no role in ICU

Lung Expansion Optimization

  • deep breathing
  • incentive spirometry
  • intermittent positive ventilation
  • head up 30 degrees

Ventilation and Oxygenation Optimization

  • diseased lung up in lateral position (increased V/Q matching and helps with postural drainage)
  • prone positioning

Advanced Therapies

  • iNO -> suldenafil
  • prostaglandins (inhaled)
  • steroids (early ARDS)
  • heliox (airflow obstruction)
  • minimal fluid strategy
  • paralysis
  • recruitment manoeuvres
  • selective lung ventilation

CCC Ventilation Series

Critical Care

Compendium

Chris is an Intensivist and ECMO specialist at The Alfred ICU, where he is Deputy Director (Education). He is a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University, the Lead for the  Clinician Educator Incubator programme, and a CICM First Part Examiner.

He is an internationally recognised Clinician Educator with a passion for helping clinicians learn and for improving the clinical performance of individuals and collectives. He was one of the founders of the FOAM movement (Free Open-Access Medical education) has been recognised for his contributions to education with awards from ANZICS, ANZAHPE, and ACEM.

His one great achievement is being the father of three amazing children.

On Bluesky, he is @precordialthump.bsky.social and on the site that Elon has screwed up, he is @precordialthump.

| INTENSIVE | RAGE | Resuscitology | SMACC

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