The perfect delivery appliance.

[MedTech]

From a lot of posts there’s a lot of things that aren’t right with FFM, nasal varieties, straps.
If you could design a perfect breathing appliance, what would it do or not do ?
Doesn’t have to be humanly possible, just your wish list.
I’ve just started on my CPAP journey so it’s of great interest to find out what to look for and also avoid.
As a designer of medical equipment, everything’s possible.

[chunkyfrog]

Remember the "Pump"?
BB shoes and bike helmets had an adjustible air bladder inside
to facilitate perfect fit for a range of sizes.
Instead of an open bottom hover shell, the cushion would be closed, but very flexible.
The surfaces contacting the face could be a soft WASHABLE fleece.
Lacking that, I am sticking with nasal pillows, indefinitely.

[MedTech]

Thanks chunky frog,
I understand the need for customisation especially when it’s a daily routine to get things ‘just right’.
Yes I read a lot about people becoming allergic or reacting to the silicone, latex, whatever on their skin so fleece is a great idea.
I can see that the least invasive the more comfortable any appliance would be. Nasal pillows look like a great solution if not the best solution.
Thanks.

[chunkyfrog]

Cpap equipnent is NOT made using latex, because of common latex allergies.
Silicone "allergies" are so uncommon that they could be psychological in nature.
If you tend to confuse the two . . .
More research is needed.

[MedTech]

I do commonly read about people who reach a point where they can’t tolerate the material against their skin and I guess that all silicones are not made equally, I do like the washable fleece idea but wouldn’t that allow for a fine perimeter of leakage ?

[chunkyfrog]

Liners fight the NOISE of leaking, but affect the actual leak indirectly.
They permit one to sleep without dislodging the mask further, and causing worse leaks.
"Leaks without squeaks" tend to be minimal, and more tolerable.

[MedTech]

Oh I see how the fine mesh of fleece would muffle the sound of the leak, good point.

I’m new to all this but even when a system is working perfectly, is it still an ‘Open system’ in that the inhaled and exhaled air is mixed within the mask and also exhausts from holes on the mask and nasal appliance ?
I’m just trying to figure out if the pressure values are exact along the whole system or if there’s an acceptable level of leakage from various means ?
Thank you for your help with this question.