Post-Lung Transplant

Individuals willing to accept the risks and obligations of lung transplantation deserve the best possible chance for an optimal outcome. For that reason, every effort must be made to recognize and treat complications promptly.

Pulmonary complications affect every lung transplant recipient to at least some degree. Respiratory infections and progressive lung damage are the most frequent cause of unfavorable outcomes. Such complications disrupt the pulmonary defense system, impairing clearance of airway secretions. As a result, lungs may become colonized with bacteria and other organisms that resist drug treatment. Serious, sometimes fatal infection may follow.

Several factors have been shown to reduce the ability to clear harmful airway secretions following lung transplantation including:

  • Immunological responses to the transplanted lung (acute or chronic rejection)
  • Nerve damage, resulting in impaired cough function
  • Effects of immunosuppressive therapy (antirejection therapy)
  • Consequences of repeated episodes of inflammation and infection.

Lung transplant recipients with significant secretion clearance problems require an aggressive regimen of bronchial hygiene including frequent Airway Clearance Therapy to prevent or minimize infection, to preserve lung function, and to slow the process of progressive lung disease.

Airway Clearance with The Vest® System

The Vest® Airway Clearance System is an easy-to-use medical device for children and adults. The Vest® System is quiet, comfortable and portable. Its features promote user independence and simplify treatment routines.

The Vest® System uses a technology called High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation (HFCWO). The Vest® System has an inflatable vest connected by Air Hoses to an Air Pulse Generator. During therapy, the inflatable vest inflates and deflates rapidly, applying gentle pressure to the chest wall. This works to loosen and thin mucus and to move it toward the larger airways, where it can be cleared by coughing or suctioning.

The Vest® System — Safe and Effective Therapy

HFCWO has been widely described in medical literature. More than 80 studies demonstrate the efficacy and safety of HFCWO for a variety of patients.

Learn more about clinical evidence and support: