Jan, from one old coot to another old coot...now I'm gonna be showing my age
as we used to use the electric toothbrush in the NICUs to give chest
physiotherapy (CPT) to preterm babies who were on ventilators.  Does anyone else
remember those days?  I presume, though I have not used this technique for the
relief of plugged ducts, that the actions of the tool are the same.  The lungs of
the babies were fluid-filled with phlegm that was often times sticky and unable
to loosen-up to expel from the lungs.  This electric toothbrush was wrapped
in a paper cloth to offer padding to it and then the technique of the
vibrations delivered by its motion while stroking across the baby's chest area would
presumably loosen its thick, tenacious secretions so that we could then proceed
to suction it out of the baby and thus clear its lungs so that its oxygen
requirements were lessened.  Lung sounds would go from being course to clear if
the treatment was effective.  So, I understand the physiology of the process of
using this electric toothbrush to vibrate across the plugged duct and as a
result loosen the tenacious strands of milk that are causing the plugged duct.
Though, like I said, I have not done this technique for the relief of plugged
ducts myself.  Why?  I guess my response would be that I haven't had to go out
and purchase one because I haven't found the need to use one.  I find that
first of all a proper latch usually avoids plugged ducts in the first place, and
secondly that reverse pressure massaging the area relieves the plugged ducts
if baby hasn't done so.
Carol Chamblin, RN, MS, IBCLC
Breast 'N Baby Lactation Services, Inc.
St. Charles, IL

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