Zeitschrift für Atemwegsmedizin

Abstrakt

Airway and Increasing Airflow to the Lungs to Breathe Easier

Maaike De Vries

Most physicians recommend mucus clearance as the mainstay of therapy in bronchiectasis. Consensus guidelines recommend that all patients with bronchiectasis receive some instruction in physiotherapy, even if for very mild patients, they only perform physiotherapy during exacerbations. There are a wide range of techniques and, in the author’s opinion, the chosen technique should be tailored to the patient preference, taking into account that simple and quicker techniques will encourage patient adherence. The evidence for physiotherapy interventions in bronchiectasis is weak. Murray performed a randomised crossover trial in patient’s not currently practicing chest clearance, and compared use of the acapella oscillatory positive expiratory pressure device for few months with no chest physiotherapy for few months.