Cough Assist Equipment (Insufflator - Exsufflator)

Cough assist devices help individuals with impaired respiratory function clear mucus and other secretions from airways, allowing for better overall respiration and health.

Overview of Cough Assist Equipment (Insufflator - Exsufflator):

Coughing clears the airways. Respiratory problems that make breathing difficult often also impair an individual’s ability to cough. Not coughing leads to clogged airways. In fact, without coughing, the lungs and airways retain excess secretions, which create a ripe environment for the growth of infection, leads to inflammation, and creates an increased risk of respiratory failure.

Most think of coughing as an annoyance, but it actually serves a very important role in the respiratory system. For those with pulmonary diseases, weakened muscles of the respiratory system, or a central nervous disease, effective coughing often becomes difficult.

Insufflation refers to blowing filtered air into the respiratory system, and exsufflation describes the forceful expiration of air. Cough assist equipment, or mechanical insufflation-exsufflation equipment, first slowly inflates the lungs. This is the first step of the process, and is often called the inhalation phase. In the next step, the exhalation phase, an abrupt change to negative pressure results in rapid exhalation, which brings on coughing. The third phase is the pause phase. The cycle then begins again.