High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Patients with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) tend to have cough, excess mucus production and breathlessness as cardinal features. The excess mucus production often leads to frequent infections, exacerbations and poor quality of life. Mucociliary clearance may have an impact on improving symptoms, exercise tolerance, quality of life and reduce exacerbations. High frequency chest wall oscillation(HFCWO) devices use percussion to the chest wall delivered from a pump through a close fitting inflatable vest. This technique has been shown to enhance mucus clearance in patients with cystic fibrosis and Bronchiectasis. This pilot study was designed to explore the feasibility, tolerance and effectiveness of the HFCWO in patients with advanced COPD.