A pulmonary expansion therapy (PXT) device may be a handheld device that covers specific lung fields and may generate negative pressure fields locally. The device also may provide percussion therapy for airway clearance. The PXT may generate a localized negative pressure field non-invasively to the exterior of the chest wall, thereby increasing the functional residual capacity in underlying lung fields. As a result, increased ventilation and perfusion to the targeted internal lung field may be achieved by creating a decrease in the external barometric pressure relative to the more positive intrinsic airway pressures. The PXT device also may improve lung compliance by enabling a medical professional such as a Respiratory Therapist/Care provider to grab and elevate the chest wall to compensate for the dysfunction of the respiratory musculature responsible for lifting the chest wall during normal breathing. In some embodiments, once a targeted functional residual capacity (FRC) has been established, percussion may be applied with increased effectiveness due to greater oscillatory movement of chest wall.
