There is no documentation in the Uterature of the risk ofhypoxemia after chest percussion In acutely iD adultswith nonsurgical pulmonary disonlen. We studied theimmediate effect of postoral drainage and chest percussion(PDP) on oxygenation in 22 hospiWized patientswith a variety of acute, nonsurgical pulmonary disorden.Heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, andarterial blood gas levels were measured at four pointsbefore, during, and after PDP. 1bere was a signi8cantfaD in Pa02 after chest percussion in ten patients whoproduced no sputum or small amounCsof mucoid sputum.The mean Pa02 feU 16.8 IBID Kg (P