User Review: Aura CPAP Interface
Author: Ted Nugent, cpaptalk Nickname "Titrator"
Introduction
Lookout Breeze Sleepgear, there's a new kid on the block. For years that Breeze Sleepgear has been
the nasal pillow mask of choice for many a cpap user, without an incredible amount of competition.
Recently, an upstart company called AEIOMed has introduced
what may be the best effort to compete with Puritan Bennett's Breeze to date, the Aura CPAP Patient
Interface. In fact, the President of AEIOMed, Steve Bordewick, worked as a Design Engineer on the
team that invented the Breeze.
The Aura was first introduced late last year, at the MedTrade show in Orlando, Florida. In early 2005
it received FDA approval. AEIOMed "wowed" everyone at MedTrade with its Aura Interface and a very small
CPAP unit with a built-in, rechargeable battery option. The CPAP unit has not cleared the FDA as of
yet.
First Impressions
When I first saw a picture of the Aura, I must admit, the headgear looked like a Realtor's key lock box
on top of your head. Once I had the interface in my hands, my first impression went by the wayside.
The Aura is incredibly well made. Everything about the interface feels solid and made to last. The
headgear is made from a hard plastic, while the straps are made of silicone. The interface is latex
free. The area under the straps is textured to keep the interface from moving as you move. Even though
the texture reminds me of the nubs on the bottom of a shower mat, you can't feel them at all, even
with short hair.
Fitting and Wearing
There is one Velcro adjustment on the back of the straps, and two on either side of
the crown strap. This makes getting a good fit easy. The short hose that goes over your head is a
standard 22mm hose with a swivel on the end that plugs into your main hose.
The headgear is designed to wear like a baseball cap. The front of the headgear needs to be positioned
directly at the hairline. If the headgear is worn just above the eyebrows, the mask will feel like it
is too large and adjusting the mask for a good fit may be difficult for some.
The headgear can adjust to move the nasal seal up and down. This allows the nasal seals to move snuggly
into your nostrils. There is also a horizontal adjustment that allows you to move the nasal seal closer
or farther away from your face. The combination, vertical and horizontal adjustment makes it easy to move
the nasal seals into adjustment. The exhalation port points straight up, so that blowing cold air on your
partner is virtually eliminated.
The Nasal Seal
The nasal seal assembly has a teardrop shape with nasal seals that closely resemble nasal pillows. The
nasal assembly has a twist lock connector that makes cleaning and assembly a snap. To adjust the
nasal seal assembly, AEIOMed has put heavy gauge wire inside of both nasal seal tubes. The wire strands
are made to be bent, and provide a micro fine adjustment to the nasal seal. This valuable
feature is well thought out and appears to be able to bend numerous times without breaking.
The nasal inserts presently come in medium and large, with a size small to be added later this year.
I use the large pillows for the Breeze and the large nasal insert with the Aura.
Conclusion
It's not everyday that a mask comes along of this caliber. Especially from an upstart company making its first try into the market. This product is the exception. The Aura is well made, easy to adjust, comfortable, and durable. What can I say? I am impressed.