Immediate effects of manual hyperinflation on cardiorespiratory function and sputum clearance in mechanically ventilated pediatric patients: A randomized crossover trial.

Background: In developing countries, lower respiratory tract infection is a major cause of death in children, with severely ill patients being admitted to the critical-care unit. While physical therapists commonly use the manual hyperinflation (MHI) technique for secretion mass clearance in critical-care patients, its efficacy has not been determined in pediatric patients.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of MHI on secretion mass clearance and cardiorespiratory responses in pediatric patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.