Expiratory muscle weakness and assisted cough in ALS.
Elimination of airway secretion is a major issue in the care of patients with ALS. Sufficient cough flows have to be generated by expiratory muscles to allow airway clearance. Bulbar and expiratory muscle weakness are often reasons for failure of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and may lead to tracheostomy. Expiratory aids may help to overcome these problems, at least for some time. We report a patient with advanced ALS, receiving nocturnal NIV, who gained much benefit from regular use of a mechanical in-exsufflation device.
Neurological Department, Kaiser Franz Josef Hospital and Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for NeuroOncology, Vienna, Austria. heinz.lahrmann@kfj.magwien.gv.at
Heinz
H
Lahrmann
Monika
M
Wild
Franz
F
Zdrahal
Wolfgang
W
Grisold
D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D003371:Cough; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates; D006801:Humans; D007327:Insufflation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D012138:Respiratory Therapy / Q000379:methods; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*