For Healthcare Professionals Medical Supplies All We Know About the Acapella Vibratory PEP Mucous Clearance Device Print By Brian Carmody Updated February 18, 2018 Acapella(R) Choice. Copyright (c) Smiths Medical More in For Healthcare Professionals Medical Supplies Geriatric Care Healthcare Compensation Office Management Medical Technology Henleys Medical Supplies in the United Kingdom has posted a thorough documentary on YouTube of the Acapella Choice, made by Smiths Medical. Henleys is the sole distributor in the United Kingdom for Smiths Medical's Acapella Choice PEP Mucus Clearance Device. The device can be purchased online as well. How the Acapella Device Works The Acapella is intended to open your airways and mobilize secretions. It's a hand-held device that uses positive expiratory pressure, known as PEP, and vibratory flutter to activate excess mucus so that it doesn't continue to build up and cause harm. Vibratory therapy gently loosens and disengages trapped mucus. Positive expiratory pressure (PEP) therapy creates a force that splits your airways open during exhalation and pushes air behind the mucus, pushing it through the small airways and into the larger airways. Once in the large airways, the secretions can be more easily coughed up. Conditions That Cause Excess Secretions Certain conditions cause excess secretions to gather in the airways and prevent important gasses from entering and exiting the lungs, including: AsthmaChronic bronchitisAtelectasisChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)EmphysemaBronchiectasisCentral nervous system/neuromuscular diseaseCystic fibrosisMucociliary clearance disorders Patients with these conditions have difficulty getting secretions to move out of their airways. If left unchecked, this can lead to further serious conditions like an infection in the lungs, lung inflammation, and airway obstruction. How to Use the Acapella Choice Device To use the Acapella, you place the hand-held device in your mouth and inhale, thus allowing air to enter. When you breathe out, the valve closes, creating PEP. The vibrations caused by the device's internal "valve" activate when you breathe through it. With a doctor's prescription, the Acapella unit can be attached to an asthmatic's bronchodilator device. The combination of these two devices may optimize delivery and accelerate the effects of the medication. Benefits of the Acapella System Benefits of using the Acapella device include: You administer your own therapy, not needing a second person to helpTherapy can be performed anywhere, thus reducing hospital or clinic visitsIt can be used at any time or in any position, for further convenienceThe device is adjustable to each patient's needsIt's inexpensiveIt's easy to operate and doesn't require electricity to useIt has a shorter treatment time than percussion therapies Four Acapella Models There are four models of the Acapella to choose from, including: Acapella DH: Used in acute care settings for patients with near-normal expiratory capacity who are able to expire for 3 to 4 seconds.Acapella DM: Used in acute care settings by adults and children with below-normal expiratory capacity who cannot exhale for 3 to 4 seconds.Acapella Choice: Used in any setting, hospital, or home. It can be disassembled for cleaning and disinfecting and incorporates a numbered adjustable frequency dial.Acapella Duet: Used in any setting, and can be disassembled for cleaning and disinfecting. Features a dedicated port for attaching a small volume nebulizer. Since the Choice and Duet models are the two that can be used anywhere, these are the two that may be prescribed by a physician to take with you to home, work, and school. Regarding the expiratory resistance frequency adjustment dial, this feature allows you to adjust the vibrations and resistance. This ensures maximal therapeutic results are achieved. The setting should be determined by your physician because it will affect the results you experience. How to Use Acapella Follow these steps to use the Acapella Choice device: Wash your handsAdjust the dial to the recommended settingPlace the mouthpiece in your mouthTake a deep breathHold your breath for 2 to 3 secondsExhale actively, but not forcefully, through the deviceExhalation should last 3 to 4 secondsInhale through the mouthpieceRepeat for 10 to 20 breaths as recommended by your healthcare providerPerform 3 huff coughs (A huff cough is a short, quick, forced exhalation)Repeat 10 to 20 breaths and 2 more huff coughs Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get tips on how to better manage your health practice. Email Address Sign Up There was an error. Please try again. Thank you, , for signing up. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Continue Reading