Institute for Continuing Education

Lung Expansion Therapy

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Identify the physiologic principles underlying lung expansion therapy.
• Explain both the indications and contraindications for each lung expansion modality.
• Identify and discuss the hazards and complications associated with the various modes of lung expansion therapy.
• Compare and contrast the various types of equipment used in lung expansion therapy.
• Describe the RCP's responsibilities in the planning, implementing, and evaluating the various lung expansion therapy modalities.

Course Information

Lung expansion therapy includes a variety of respiratory care modalities designed to increase patient¹s lung volume. Historically, intermittent positive pressure breathing, or IPPB, was used extensively for this purpose. Alternative lung expansion therapies including incentive spirometry, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and positive expiratory pressure (PEP) have taken the place of IPPB as front line modalities for increasing patient¹s lung volume capacity.

Ongoing research on these methods continues to demonstrate mixed results. Clearly, some patients benefit, while others don¹t. Current evidence suggests that benefits should be expected only when patients are carefully selected and the approach chosen is administered and closely monitored by a skilled clinician.

In this context, the respiratory care practitioner (RCP) plays a vital role. In consultation with the prescribing physician, the RCP should assist in identifying those patients most likely to benefit from lung expansion therapy, recommend and initiate the appropriate therapeutic approach, monitor the patient¹s response, and alter the treatment regimen according to individual need.