Pulmonary hygiene

Pulmonary hygiene, or airway hygiene, also referred to as pulmonary toilet, together with airway clearance therapy uses a number of methods to clear mucus and secretions from the airways. The word pulmonary refers to the lungs. The word toilet, related to the French toilette, refers to body care and hygiene; this root is used in words such as toiletry that also relate to cleansing.

Respiratory health depends on the continuous clearance of airway secretions. Normal airway clearance is accomplished by two important mechanisms: mucociliary clearance and the basic cough reflex. Impaired mucociliary clearance is linked to poor lung function in a broad range of diseases and disabilities.

Pulmonary hygiene prevents atelectasis (the collapse of the alveoli of the lungs) and rids the respiratory system of secretions, which could cause respiratory infections. It can also decrease pulmonary shunting, increase the functional reserve capacity of the lungs, and prevent respiratory infection after chest trauma. Methods include using suction to remove fluids, and postural drainage, placing the patient in a position that allows secretions to drain by gravity.