Frankston Hospital is one of only a small number of hospitals in Victoria and across Australia that offer the service of whole lung lavage—a specialised procedure that uses a saline (saltwater) solution to “wash out” the lungs and clear abnormal material that obstructs breathing.
Traditionally, after a whole lung lavage, physiotherapists would perform chest percussions to help move the saline solution throughout the lungs and clear out secretions blocking the airways. This process can take several hours and requires multiple physiotherapists to manually perform continuous percussion.
However, thanks to the generosity of the Angior Family Foundation, earlier this year our respiratory service acquired an Airway Clearance Vest. This vest provides a more comfortable and effective way to deliver continuous vibrations to the patient’s chest wall, reducing the time needed for the patient to remain under general anaesthesia and improving the efficiency of lung clearance. It also significantly reduces the discomfort experienced by the patient after the procedure.
Now, since introducing the vest to our service, the number of physiotherapy personnel required to undertake the treatment has reduced dramatically from five to one. Only a single physiotherapist is required to supervise the application of the vest, reducing the prolonged stay in the Intensive Care Unit.
Due to its simplicity, comfort, and effectiveness, the Airway Clearance Vest has been easy to introduce into the clinical environment. It is also expected that the vest will be used in the treatment of a range of other respiratory conditions associated with increased airway secretions and the inability to clear them effectively, ultimately improving health outcomes for a larger portion of our community.