Pulmonary Physical Therapy

So, most of us physical therapists have been taught pulmonary physical therapy, but not many of us use it in the States. In essence, pulmonary PT has to do with expanding the chest wall, breaking up mucous by means of percussion and breathing techniques. This lady has some congenital anomaly and is very small. She came into the hospital after her stomach kept expanding for two years and she figured she wasn't pregnant. They surgically removed a 19 pound ovarian cyst! (the sugeon said he once removed a 50 pound tumor from somebody here) Because of the cyst was so big, it impinged her diaphragm's ability to fully expand and she was not able to have a productive cough. I came in and did some gentle percussion to break up the mucous in her lungs. The day before she left, she requested me and told me that she is able to breath so much better and she thinks she would've died from inability to breathe without my help.