COPD Flute Not a Fluke

COPD patients have a new sound technology to break up mucous

(RxWiki News) Many Americans occasionally wake up so congested it is difficult to breathe. Imagine experiencing that every morning, day and night. That is the life of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The Lung Flute, which utilizes sound technology to break up mucus in patients with COPD, is now available to patients in the Buffalo, New York area. The Flute is already available through hospitals in the U.S., Europe and Asia.

This product is a handheld device which requires the patients to blow  through its mouthpiece. The breath creates airway vibrations deep in the patient's lungs. These vibrations then assist in loosening the mucuos in the lungs making it easier to cough up.

"Ask your doctor about the Lung Flute to help eliminate congestion."

Sharon Raymond, a business development consultant for Medical Acoustics reports the Lung Flute is helping people with COPD relieve congestion in their lungs. The patients with COPD deal with a tremendous amount of congestion at the onset of every day and desire to clear this up. The Lung Flute can do just that.

Sanjay Sethi, MD, University of Buffalo (UB) professor of medicine, has led a series of clinical trials proving the effectiveness and safety of the Lung Flute. These trials have played a critical role in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision to clear the Lung Flute for therapeutic and diagnostic use.

Dr. Sethi, chief of UB’s Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, has begun another trial investigating the Lung Flute’s long-term use over a six-month period. Medical Acoustics' association with UB is a great example of academic medicine and medical device companies can work together for the betterment of patient care and economic development.

The UB Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach (STOR) helped Medical Acoustics target its key market and develop its first business plan. Also, the UB Center for Advanced Biomedical and Bioengineering Technology received around $100,000 of funding from the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation to help bring the Lung Flute to market.

Review Date: 
September 7, 2011