December 19, 2009

pied piper of phlegm

The ingenuity and creativity of Sandy Hawkins is just plain cool. I am always impressed by innovators and inventors, people who are not only able to dream up new ideas, but they are also able to bring them from their mind to something tangible. http://www.popsci.com/bown/2009/innovator/pied-piper-mucus In a nutshell, this device is a simple tube with a reed-like flap that when blown, produces a frequency that immediately loosens phlegm in the lungs. So elegant in its simple physics. It's apparently being reviewed by the FDA for approval in Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease (COPD). As someone who every winter often struggles with bronchitis, I'll probably want to try it out. I'm sure it'd have potential applications in cystic fibrosis patients, as well.

1 comment:

Steve Parker, M.D. said...

Sounds similar to a flutter valve, available for at least 5 years. Here's a description:

http://healthguide.howstuffworks.com/chronic-obstructive-lung-disease-in-depth10.htm

Or google "flutter valvea and lung disease"

-Steve