Cough assist · lung expansion · oscillation
The ABM BiWaze® Cough System helps people who can't cough effectively clear secretions from their lungs. MEC supplies it across Australia, with demonstrations, setup, training and ongoing consumables from our local team.
The BiWaze Cough System is a mechanical insufflation-exsufflation (MI-E) device, often called a cough assist. It gives the lungs a deep breath with positive pressure, then switches quickly to negative pressure to draw air, and mucus, back out, much like a strong natural cough.
BiWaze Cough adds high-frequency oscillation to help loosen secretions, and can hold positive pressure during the pause between coughs to help keep the airways open. Its dual-blower design gives the inhale and exhale separate air paths, keeping the air being breathed in apart from the mucus being cleared.
It's used at home, in hospital and in residential care, through a face mask, mouthpiece or tracheostomy connection. As the exclusive Australian distributor, MEC supplies the device, its circuits and accessories, and the training to use it well.
Arc Connect is ABM Respiratory Care's companion app for BiWaze Cough. It connects to the device over Bluetooth to start and pause therapy sessions, and keeps therapy sessions, trends and health goals together in one place. Users can view their therapy alongside data from their phone's health app, such as blood oxygen (SpO2) and heart rate, and give carers view-only access so family and support workers can follow progress. Arc Connect supports the therapy plan rather than changing it: it isn't a medical device, and pressures and settings stay with the treating team.
Cough assist therapy is for people whose cough is too weak to clear secretions on its own, most often people with neuromuscular conditions such as motor neurone disease, muscular dystrophy or spinal muscular atrophy, spinal cord injury, or other conditions that weaken the breathing muscles.
Two independent blowers drive the inhale and the exhale, giving precise, consistent control of pressure and flow through every cough.
The optional dual-lumen (tube-within-a-tube) circuit keeps the air breathed in separate from exhaled air and mucus, reducing the risk of cross-contamination between the two air streams.
PAP on pause holds adjustable positive pressure (0–15 cmH2O) during the pause, helping keep the airways open and support lung volume between coughs.
Start, pause and stop therapy from a phone over Bluetooth, handy when the person giving therapy is managing the mask or mouthpiece.
Therapy data can be sent over Wi-Fi to Arc Connect, or exported to USB, so sessions can be reviewed away from the device.
The device doesn’t need routine servicing. Day-to-day care is cleaning the air inlet filter monthly (replaced every six months) and changing the circuit every 30 days or 90 sessions.
As well as MI-E cough therapy, BiWaze Cough offers IPPB, lung volume recruitment (LVR) and huff/ACBT breathing profiles, set up by the treating team.
Run therapy automatically from a stored profile, or control each breath manually, with an adjustable inspiratory trigger.
Set up and adjust therapy on a colour touchscreen, with up to 10 therapy profiles saved.
Up to two hours of therapy away from the power point, in a 4.1 kg unit.
Each cough cycle has three phases: inhale, exhale and pause. A typical treatment is 4–6 cycles in a row, and oscillation can be added to help loosen mucus. The treating clinician sets the pressures, timing and oscillation for each patient.
Positive pressure fills the lungs with a deep breath (insufflation).
A fast shift to negative pressure draws air and secretions out, like a cough (exsufflation).
A short rest before the next cough. With PAP on pause, gentle positive pressure helps hold the airways open after the exhale and support lung volume between coughs.
Not a separate phase. Light vibrations can be switched on for the pause/inhale, the exhale, or both, to help shake loose thick mucus.
| Therapy | Cough assist (MI-E), lung expansion, oscillation |
|---|---|
| Modes | Automatic and manual |
| Maximum positive pressure | 70 cmH2O |
| Maximum negative pressure | −70 cmH2O |
| Maximum pause pressure | 15 cmH2O |
| Oscillation | 5–20 Hz |
| Therapy profiles | Up to 10 |
| Battery | Built-in, up to 2 hours of use |
| Weight | 4.1 kg including battery |
| Dimensions | 27 cm (L) × 23.5 cm (W) × 9.0 cm (H) |
| Operating temperature | 5–35 °C |
| Patient interfaces | Face mask, mouthpiece or tracheostomy |
Genuine ABM circuits and parts, in stock and shipped Australia-wide.
MEC is ABM Respiratory Care's exclusive Australian distributor for BiWaze Cough.
Demonstrations, setup and training for clinical teams, patients and carers.
NDIS registered and DVA approved, with quotes for plans, hospitals and aged care.
Circuits, filters and accessories shipped Australia-wide.
Tell us who you are and what you need, whether that's a demonstration, a quote, training, or help with funding. Our BiWaze team will be in touch.
