Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Treatment and Airway Clearance:
How Monaghan Medical Devices Can Help
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) requires lifelong management focused on one core goal: maintaining clear, healthy airways. Because PCD prevents cilia from effectively clearing mucus, patients are highly susceptible to infections, inflammation, and progressive lung damage. Treatment aims to slow the progression of disease, prevent complications, and help patients live full, active lives.
This page explains how PCD is treated—and how Monaghan Medical’s respiratory devices play a vital role in airway clearance and overall care.
Why Airway Clearance Is Essential in PCD
In people without PCD, cilia beat in synchronized waves that move mucus and trapped particles out of the lungs. In people with PCD, this movement is impaired or absent, causing mucus to accumulate. This trapped mucus becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and other pathogens, leading to chronic infections and lung tissue damage.
Without regular airway clearance, patients face:
Daily airway clearance therapies are the foundation of PCD management and should begin as recommended by your healthcare provider.
Airway Clearance Techniques:
Chest Physiotherapy (CPT)
Manual CPT involves percussion and postural drainage to loosen mucus in specific lung segments. Caregivers or respiratory therapists often perform these techniques in younger children, while older patients may learn breathing techniques or use another independent form of airway clearance.
Oscillatory Positive Expiratory Pressure (OPEP) Devices
OPEP devices combine positive pressure and internal vibrations to help break up mucus and move it toward the larger airways where it can be coughed out.
AEROBIKA® OPEP Device
Monaghan Medical’s AEROBIKA® OPEP device is a clinically proven, drug-free device that provides positive expiratory pressure and oscillation during exhalation. It helps mobilize secretions, open up collapsed areas of the lung, and decrease hyperinflation. In clinical studies, it has been shown to reduce exacerbations and improve airway clearance in chronic lung diseases like PCD, bronchiectasis, and COPD.1
Key Benefits:
- Handheld device
- Easy to use and clean
- Helps reduce need for hospitalization
- No medication required
The AEROBIKA® OPEP device is suitable for both pediatric and adult patients.
High-Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation (HFCWO)
Often called a “vest,” HFCWO encompasses 3 main components; a control machine that powers the unit, tubing, and an inflatable vest garment to wear during therapy. This device delivers high-frequency air pulses to the chest wall which causes inflation and deflation of the vest — this squeezing and vibrating helps to loosen mucus. Vest therapy may allow the user to be independent of needing a caregiver to help achieve a thorough airway clearance session. While effective, these systems can be heavy or bulky and can limit portability. Some patients prefer portable alternatives like the AEROBIKA® OPEP device and many use both devices together or intermittently to support airway clearance.
Breathing Techniques
Airway clearance strategies often incorporate:
- Autogenic drainage
- Active cycle of breathing techniques (ACBT)
These techniques can help mobilize and expel mucus without excessive fatigue.
HUFF Coughing
This technique may reduce the strain that regular coughing can place on the upper airway and respiratory muscles. Huff coughing is less tiring and more efficient in moving secretions out of the airways.
To perform a huff cough, start by taking a deep breath in and pause briefly if you can with full lungs. Actively exhale similar to a cough as if you were trying to fog up a mirror. Some people find it useful to say the word “Huff” or “Huh” as they are expelling the air from their lungs. Coughing in this manner prevents the smaller airways from collapsing and helps move mucus into the larger airway where it can then be coughed out.
Nebulizer Therapy for PCD
Nebulizers deliver inhaled medications directly into the lungs. They are often used before or during airway clearance to thin mucus and open the airways.
AEROECLIPSE® BAN® Nebulizers
The AEROECLIPSE® BAN® Nebulizers represent a significant advancement in aerosol therapy. Unlike traditional nebulizers that continuously release medication, this breath-actuated device delivers aerosol only during inhalation. This feature helps ensure that medication is not wasted into the environment and that each dose is delivered directly into the lungs where it’s needed most.
This level of precision makes the BAN® Nebulizer particularly effective and efficient and may reduce fugitive emissions in the treatment area. Its design can help protect caregivers and family members from unnecessary exposure to exhaled medication particles—an important consideration when managing infectious or chronic respiratory conditions at home.
By improving delivery efficiency and reducing medication waste, the AEROECLIPSE® BAN® Nebulizers support both better clinical outcomes and cost-effective care. It is an ideal choice for integrating nebulizer therapy into daily treatment routines for PCD and other chronic lung diseases.
The AEROECLIPSE® XL R BAN® Nebulizer and OMBRA® compressor may be particularly valuable for patients managing chronic conditions like PCD, where medication adherence and delivery precision matter.
Medications Used Alongside Airway Clearance
While Monaghan Medical does not manufacture medications, their devices are commonly used in conjunction with:
- Hypertonic saline: Thins mucus for easier clearance
- Bronchodilators: Opens the airways before therapy (e.g., albuterol)
- Mucolytics: Breaks down sticky mucus (e.g., N-acetylcysteine)
- Antibiotics: Treat or prevent infections, delivered orally, intravenously, or via nebulizer
Monaghan’s nebulizers can help ensure these medications are delivered effectively.
Sometimes inhalers are prescribed to help control pulmonary symptoms or to open up the airways before performing airway clearance. This practice can reduce the time needed to perform another nebulizer and reduce the burden of care.
Managing Sinus and Ear Issues
Because cilia also line the sinuses and middle ear, many PCD patients experience chronic sinus infections and recurrent ear problems. Treatment may involve:
- Saline nasal rinses
- Nasal corticosteroids
- ENT procedures (e.g., placement of ear tubes)
While these treatments are not part of Monaghan’s product offering, maintaining healthy upper airways supports overall respiratory function.
Lifestyle and Environmental Support
Living with PCD means committing to a daily care routine. Patients are encouraged to:
Care teams may include pulmonologists, Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists, respiratory therapists, and genetic counselors to support holistic care.
The Role of Monaghan Devices in Long-Term Management
Monaghan Medical’s devices are thoughtfully designed to help patients maintain consistent, effective airway clearance routines at home. These tools are durable and built for daily use—portable, easy to use and clean, and adaptable for patients of all ages.
What sets Monaghan devices apart is their focus on improving both the experience and the outcomes of respiratory therapy. By simplifying device operation, Monaghan helps ensure patients can use their devices correctly and regularly — essential factors for prescription adherence and long-term success. The efficiency of treatment sessions means patients can spend less time on therapy and more time doing the things they enjoy, without compromising the effectiveness of their care. And because Monaghan’s OPEP and BAN products are engineered for optimal delivery, they may help maximize the impact of each breath, each exhalation, and each treatment cycle.
Together, Monaghan’s suite of products empowers patients to manage their PCD more confidently and comfortably, contributing to fewer exacerbations, better lung function, and improved quality of life.
Hope Through Research and Support
While there is no cure for PCD, ongoing research is exploring gene therapy, improved diagnostic tools, and advanced therapies to support ciliary function. In the meantime, devices like the AEROCHAMBER® Brand of Valved Holding chambers, the AEROBIKA® OPEP, AEROECLIPSE® BAN® Nebulizers and Ombra® Compressor may help patients manage their symptoms, reduce complications, and maintain a better quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
References:
1Svenningsen S. et al. COPD 2016;13(1):66 – 74.
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The information provided on this website is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
For questions about the clinical references, therapeutic claims, or product usage described herein, please contact Monaghan Medical Corporation.
