PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Andersen, Tiina M.
AU  - Hov, Brit
AU  - Halvorsen, Thomas
AU  - Drange Røksund, Ola
AU  - Vollsæter, Maria
TI  - Upper Airway Assessment and Responses during Mechanically Assisted Cough - A Narrative Review
AID  - 10.4187/respcare.08960
DP  - 2021 Feb 12
TA  - Respiratory Care
PG  - respcare.08960
4099  - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/early/2021/02/12/respcare.08960.short
4100  - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/early/2021/02/12/respcare.08960.full
AB  - When ability to cough is impaired, secretion clearance may be assisted and augmented by Mechanical Insufflation-Exsufflation (MI-E). In some individuals, the efficacy of MI-E may be hampered by counterproductive upper airway reactions, where the airways close in response to positive pressures. In order to fully utilize the therapeutic potential inherent in the MI-E technology, we need a better understanding of the pathophysiology behind these untoward reactions. There is an increasing interest in monitoring and measuring upper airway responses to MI-E, and how such information can be used to optimize the MI-E settings. The purpose of this narrative review is to increase the theoretical understanding of larynx as a respiratory organ, summarize the current literature in the area, and provide insight into how this knowledge can affect current clinical practice.