Full Face mask headgear question

I use a Mirrage Quatro mask with the standard headgear. I have been using this mask for several years now with no issues. Last summer I have a C5-C7 PCDF (posterior discectomy and fusion), consequently I have incision that run up from where my shoulders meet my neck to just under my hairline. Recently I have developed a staph infection in the scar tissue right under the spot where the back of the headgear rests on my neck. I have been on oral antibiotics for a month and this has not cleared up and I am now scheduled for surgery on May 11th to have the area drained, cleaned up, and a PICC line inserted so I can be on IV antibotics for the next 6-8 weeks.

My question for this esteemed board is: Is there any alternate headgear's that will not run around the back of my neck? This is going to be an issue as they my need to leave the wound open and packed after surgery. When I had my original neck surgery I had a hard C-Collar and I used an extra large headgear to go around the collar. This will not be possible this time as will need to keep pressure off that area since it will be packed to drain.

Any thoughts?

Dave

Dave, I've looked for a solution to the lower strap on the back of neck issue for FFM and have not found a good alternative. I see you used to use pillows. Maybe you could go back to them. I recently switched to the ResMed P10. Very minimal headgear, works even better, in my opinion, than the Swift FX. Possibly the rear portion, bottom of the split, could be left high enough not to interfere with the surgery. (The positioning of the head gear, very small elastic bands, determines the tension on the pillows. Lower on the back of the head is looser, forward on the top of the head is looser.)
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... dgear.html

I wonder if someone in the bioengineering dept. at a teaching hospital could come up with a small, sterile type of interface for you to use, something that could be cleaned before and after each use with just a baby wipe or something similar?

Assuming this post surgery recovery will not be too long, you could switch to an Oracle 452 mask which doesn't require any headgear if your pressure is not too high, say less than 15 cmH2O.

There are issues with this mask so please look at my post - link in my signature block.