Comparison of Three Cough-Augmentation Techniques in Neuromuscular Patients: Mechanical Insufflation Combined with Manually Assisted Cough, Insufflation-Exsufflation Alone and Insufflation-Exsufflation Combined with Manually Assisted Cough

Abstract

Our results indicate that adding the MI-E device to MAC is unhelpful in patients whose PCF with an insufflation technique and MAC exceeds 5 liters/s. This is because the expiratory flow produced by the patient's effort and MAC transitorily exceeds the vacuum capacity of the MI-E device, which therefore becomes a transient load against the PCF.