Abstract
Acute mucus plugging causing lung collapse is an emergency associated with increased mortality specially in patients with impaired cough reflex. Bronchoscopic interventions are often required in emergency to relieve the patient however mechanical percussive chest physiotherapies may be helpful. We discuss a case of a patient who developed respiratory distress rapidly; a chest radiograph revealed right lung atelectasis suggesting acute mucus plugging, confirmed by HRCT thorax. Bedside chest physiotherapy was started along with preparing for bronchoscopy. Clinical improvement was observed. Chest x-ray was repeated before going for bronchoscopy which revealed resolution of collapse hence procedure was not done. Our case illustrates the utility of chest physiotherapy and mucolytics in resolving the lung collapse due to acute mucus plugging in an urgent scenario in high-risk patients with recent history of head and neck surgery
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