Mechanical Ventilator as a physical therapy device to improve airway clearance in critical care patients.

INTERVENTION: Ventilator hyperinflation treatment (VHT). Patients were in side‐lying position, so that the more affected lung was upper‐most. The ventilatory mode was changed to pressure support ventilation. The pressure support was adjusted above the positive end expiratory pressure to reach 40 cmH2O of peak pressure. The treatment lasted 30 minutes (1 session). All participants received both treatments (intervention and comparator/control) in one day, with a washout period of five hours between them. CONDITION: Pulmonary infection PRIMARY OUTCOME: Sputum volume. To the quantification of spuum production, during each treatment, it was collected in a sputum trap collector attached to the closed suction system. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Respiratory Mechanics (static compliance of respiratory system and total resistance of respiratory system) were obtained by end inspiratory occlusion method, using respiratory signals from the mechanical ventilator display. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Mechanical ventilation, pulmonary infection and hypersecretion.