Secretion Clearance and Cough Assist

A cough assistance device for use by a patient having skin, a mouth, airways, and first, second, third, and fourth pairs of abdominal muscles, such patient suffering from bodily secretions in such airways, the cough assistance device comprising:

• a control module having operative electrical connections to a plurality of dermal electrodes attached to such skin of such patient;
• a first one of the dermal electrodes disposed on such skin of such patient at one such abdominal muscle;
• the control module having a stimulation module operative to send a pulse train to such abdominal muscle;
• the pulse train operative to stimulate such abdominal muscle so as to stimulate at least one cough;
• whereby the at least one cough moves such bodily secretions toward such mouth of such patient.

A method of secretion clearance and cough assistance for use by a patient having skin, a mouth, airways, first, second, third, and fourth pairs of abdominal muscles, and chest muscles including pectoral muscles and serratus anterior muscles, such patient suffering from bodily secretions in such airways, the secretion clearance and cough assistance, comprising the steps of:

• sending a first pulse train controlled by a first set of parameters to a first electrode disposed on such skin of such patient at one such chest muscle, the first pulse train operative to stimulate such chest muscle so as to cause a first vibration of such chest muscle, the vibration of such chest muscle thereby causing a second vibration of such airways;
• whereby such second vibration loosens such bodily secretions in such airways;
• sending a second pulse train to a second electrode disposed on such skin of such patient at a first such abdominal muscle, the second pulse train operative to stimulate such abdominal muscle so as to stimulate at least one assisted cough;
• whereby the at least one assisted cough moves such bodily secretions toward such mouth of such patient.

A secretion clearance and cough assistance device for use by a patient having a body, skin, a mouth, airways, first, second, third, and fourth pairs of abdominal muscles, and chest muscles including pectoral muscles and serratus anterior muscles, such patient suffering from bodily secretions in such airways, the secretion clearance and cough assistance device comprising:

• a control module having operative electrical connections to a plurality of zone group stimulators attached to such skin of such patient, the control module small enough to be worn on such patient body;
• a first one of the zone group stimulators disposed on such skin of such patient at at least one such chest muscle;
• a second one of the zone group stimulators disposed on such skin of such patient at at least one such abdominal muscle;
• the control module having a stimulation module operative to send a first pulse train to such chest muscle and a second pulse train to such abdominal muscle;
• the first pulse train operative to stimulate such chest muscle so as to cause a first vibration of such chest muscle, the vibration of such chest muscle thereby causing a second vibration of such airways;
• the second pulse train operative to stimulate such abdominal muscle so as to stimulate at least one cough;
• whereby the second vibration loosens such bodily secretions in such airways and the at least one cough moves such bodily secretions toward such mouth of such patient.