Chest wall oscillation is when devices are used in airway clearance therapy to clear excess mucus from lung airways ( bronchi and bronchioles). It is principally used in the treatment of

cystic fibrosis Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare genetic disorder that affects mostly the lungs, but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestine. Long-term issues include difficulty breathing and coughing up mucus as a result of frequent lung infections. O ...

, but is gaining use in the treatment of other diseases, such as

bronchiectasis Bronchiectasis is a disease in which there is permanent enlargement of parts of the bronchi, airways of the lung. Symptoms typically include a chronic cough with sputum, mucus production. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, hemoptysis, co ...

, COPD, cerebral palsy and

muscular dystrophy Muscular dystrophies (MD) are a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of rare neuromuscular diseases that cause progressive weakness and breakdown of skeletal muscles over time. The disorders differ as to which muscles are primarily affe ...

, in which excessive mucus can block airways due to excessive production or impaired clearance. This "passive system" is not dependent on the effort of the patient. It uses a compressor to inflate and deflate the vest rhythmically at timed intervals and thus imposes high frequency chest wall oscillations (HFCWO) that are transferred to the lungs. These oscillations thin thixotropic airway mucus, facilitating its removal by coughing. Delivery of air to the vest can be controlled manually.

History

The Vest system was developed by

Warren Warwick Warren J. Warwick was an American pediatrician, notable for co-inventing a chest wall oscillation device called the Vest Airway Clearance System, or "The Vest", a mechanical vest for clearing the lungs of children with cystic fibrosis. He was a pro ...

, a

pediatrician Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...

and cystic fibrosis expert, and Leland Hansen MPH, a senior scientist at the University of Minnesota, which licensed the product to American Biosystems in 1988.Chest compression apparatus
Warren J. Warwick et al. Application number: 11/204,547. Publication number: US 2006/0036199 A1. It is the original High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation Device by Advanced Respiratory, Inc (ARI), formerly American Biosystems, Inc., in

Saint Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

, Minnesota, United States of America. In 2003, Hillrom acquired ARI.

References

{{reflist Medical treatments