Skill
Forced Expiratory Technique (FET) Huff Cough
Review by category
Choose the list to review
The selected category is identified by a yellow outline and a "Selected section" label.
Contraindications
Review these conditions before proceeding and follow current orders, protocols, facility policy, and supervising-clinician direction.
- Untreated pneumothorax
- Severe hypoxemia or cardiovascular instability
- Recent cranial surgery or uncontrolled intracranial pressure
- Recent pneumothorax
- Recent eye surgery or increased intracranial pressure
- Recent abdominal or thoracic surgery
- Severe desaturation or distress during technique
- Unstable cardiovascular status
Relative contraindications
Use individualized risk-benefit assessment, added precautions, or a modified approach as authorized for the patient and setting.
- Recent thoracic or abdominal surgery
- Active hemoptysis
- Post-surgical thoracic instability
- Post-bronchoscopy procedure
- Severe bronchospasm
- Acute bronchospasm
- Uncontrolled intracranial pressure
Sources
Supporting sources include peer-reviewed research, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, professional standards, and foundational respiratory care references, as applicable to the skill.
- Bott, J., Blumenthal, S., Buxton, M., Ellum, S., Falconer, C., Garrod, R., et al. (2009). Guidelines for the physiotherapy management of the adult, medical, spontaneously breathing patient. Thorax, 64(Suppl 1), i1-i52. https://doi.org/10.1136/thx.2008.110726
- American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC). (2013). AARC clinical practice guideline: Effectiveness of nonpharmacologic airway clearance therapies in hospitalized patients. Respiratory Care, 58(12), 2187-2193. https://doi.org/10.4187/respcare.02925
- Egan's Fundamentals of Respiratory Care (13th ed.). (2021). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.