Abstract
This article describes the use of physical medicine noninvasive inspiratory and expiratory muscle aids to prevent ventilatory/respiratory failure and to permit the extubation and tracheostomy tube decannulation of patients with little or no autonomous ability to breathe (ie, those who cannot be weaned from ventilator support). Noninvasive airway pressure aids can provide continuous ventilatory support and effective cough flows for patients with severely dysfunctional respiratory muscles.