Individualized respiratory exercise device originated in Türkiye: design, prototype, and first results

Area of Science:

• Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
• Respiratory Muscle Training
• Medical Device Design

Background:

• Respiratory muscle training (RMT) and breathing exercises are vital for cardiopulmonary rehabilitation.
• Current RMT devices often lack integrated inspiratory muscle training (IMT) and expiratory muscle training (EMT) functions.
• This necessitates multiple devices, increasing cost and complexity for patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design, calibrate, and test a novel, integrated respiratory exercise device.
• The device combines IMT and EMT functions with an incentive spirometer.
• To provide a cost-effective and user-friendly solution for comprehensive cardiopulmonary rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of existing RMT devices and development of a 3D-printed prototype.
• Calibration using a pressure meter and testing on ten healthy volunteers.
• Pilot clinical study with six healthy adults assessing maximal inspiratory/expiratory pressures (MIP/MEP) and functional exercise capacity over eight weeks.

Main Results:

• High internal consistency for both inspiratory (0.919, 0.841) and expiratory (0.901, 0.856) pressure levels.
• Significant increases in MIP, MEP, and six-minute walking distance observed in participants completing the eight-week RMT program.

Conclusions:

• The novel device successfully integrates IMT, EMT, and incentive spirometry functions into a single unit.
• Its ease of use and adaptability offer a promising option for clinical and home-based cardiopulmonary rehabilitation.
• Further studies are warranted to evaluate the device's efficacy in patient populations.