Postural drainage of a lung segment can be achieved by positioning the patient so that gravity can aid clearance of secretions.
Lung Segment |
Position |
right upper lobe, apical anterior |
1 |
right upper lobe, apical posterior |
2 |
right upper lobe, posterior |
4 |
right upper lobe, anterior |
3 |
right middle lobe, lateral |
6 |
right middle lobe, medial |
6 |
right lower lobe, superior |
12 |
right lower lobe, medial basal |
? 10 or 11 |
right lower lobe, anterior basal |
8 |
right lower lobe, lateral basal |
9 |
right lower lobe, posterior basal |
11 |
left upper lobe, apical posterior, apical anterior |
1 |
left upper lobe, apical posterior, apical posterior |
2 |
left upper lobe, apical posterior, posterior |
5 |
left upper lobe, anterior |
3 |
left upper lobe, lingula |
7 |
left lower lobe, superior |
12 |
left lower lobe, anterior basal |
9 |
left lower lobe, lateral basal |
10 |
left lower lobe, posterior basal |
11 |
Position |
Face |
Trunk |
Leg |
Foot of Bed |
Pillow |
1 |
face up |
on back, 45° to horizontal |
together |
horizontal |
under knee |
2 |
face up |
bent forward at waist |
together |
horizontal |
under knee |
3 |
face up |
flat on back |
together |
horizontal |
under knee |
4 |
left ear down |
on left side at 45° to horizontal |
right leg flexed up |
horizontal |
by chest |
5 |
right ear down |
on right side at 45° to horizontal |
left leg flexed up |
horizontal |
by chest |
6 |
face up |
flat on back |
together |
up 12 inches |
under right side of back |
7 |
face up |
flat on back |
together |
up 12 inches |
under left side of back |
8 |
face up |
flat on back |
together |
up 18 inches |
under knee |
9 |
left ear down |
on left side |
together |
up 18 inches |
by right chest |
10 |
right ear down |
on right side |
together |
up 18 inches |
by left chest |
11 |
face down |
on stomach |
together |
up 18 inches |
under stomach and ankles |
12 |
face down |
on stomach |
together |
horizontal |
under stomach and ankles |
Specialty: Pulmonology
ICD-10: ,