Cystic Fibrosis

[Guest]

We have obtained a CPT vest for our 18 month old daughter. She weights well over 30 pounds and has accepted the vest very well. I am convinced it produces far more movement on the lungs than did our CPT sessions.

Our daughter usually only coughs when she is sick or getting sick. With the CPT vest I am told patients will often cough during the course of the treatment. Should we be concerned that she does not cough even during the therapy Vest?

Also how is lobe drainage accomplished with the vest? We no longer have to put her on her side or back.

Thank You!

[Guest]

The response to the vest is variable, some cough some don't. In my view, the best chest physical therapy regimen is the one that you will use and the patient will accept. There is surprising little evidence to distinguish which is better.

I usually tell my patients to lie on their back or side when using the vest to let gravity at least help with removing the secretions, but there is no evidence to suggest this is better than doing upright. I hope this helps.
[quote] We have obtained a CPT vest for our 18 month old daughter. She weights well over 30 pounds and has accepted the vest very well... [/quote]

[MumtoAz]

Hi,
My son Is a 16yr old cf sufferer and I have never heard of a CPT vest. Is this something just for the very young or could it help my son. At present he uses a pep mask and specialised breathing exercises but I would appreciate if you could explain what this vest is.
Many Thanks

[Davy9]

A CPT vest consists of an adjustable vest with multiple air pockets. It is fit snugly around the chest wall and attached to high frequency oscillator driver. The driver pushes and pulls air in and out of the vest at high rates of speed. The vest pulsates all around the chest. The pulsation transfers from the vest, through the chest wall and then to the lungs themselves. In the lungs the energy of the pulsation assists in dislodging and removing mucous in 2 ways. First the pulsations help physically dislodge mucous. Secondly they promote the movement of dislodged mucous from the peripheral airways of the lungs to the main airways where it can be more easily coughed out by the patient.

Because the airways in the lungs anatomically resemble the branches of a tree the path loose mucous needs to follow to get to the upper airways is dependent on posture. It would still be helpful to use postural drainage positions even when using the vest.

The vest delivers a more consistent mucous clearance program. Its performance does not vary as manual percussion techniques do from person to person, and from event to event. Results are more predictable because this consistency. Using such a tool does not in any way change the need for proper hydration or other parenteral mucokinetic aids (such as expectorants). It can be used during aerosol treatments.