Using CPAP in hosptial - adding N95 material?

[jim.evo]

I'm having surgery and will be in the hospital 1-2 nights. In an abundance of caution re Covid (I am vaccinated) I am considering not using the CPAP so I can wear my own mask.

The idea I'd like some input on is this: to put some N95 material in place of the filter. Has anyone done this and if so what were the results? I'm concerned that there will be too much resistance and not work or put too much strain on the motor...

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE - I do not want this to turn into a discussion about Covid, vaccines or masks. There are lots of other places to do this.

THANKS...

Jim

[zonker]

why not try it at home before going to the hospital? see if the motor seems to ramp up. also, see if you have to increase your pressure once the material is in place.

good luck!

[ChicagoGranny]

I'm concerned that there will be too much resistance and not work or put too much strain on the motor...

You are correct.

Don't you think your surgeon is the proper person to ask about protection from COVID-19 while in the hospital?

[Pugsy]

I wouldn't change the filter on the cpap machine to something more restrictive unless you want to just go to a regular and approved hypoallergenic filter which does offer a bit more filtration.. There's a potential there to really impede the machines air draw and maybe cause all sorts of problems when you start adding restricted air flow from some additional source outside the normal.

Now I might consider adding one of those inline bacterial filters as an extra level of filtration.

[palerider]

I'm having surgery and will be in the hospital 1-2 nights. In an abundance of caution re Covid (I am vaccinated) I am considering not using the CPAP so I can wear my own mask.

The idea I'd like some input on is this: to put some N95 material in place of the filter. Has anyone done this and if so what were the results? I'm concerned that there will be too much resistance and not work or put too much strain on the motor...

The simple step (and what they do in hospitals) is to put an anti-bacterial filter in the line before the mask. (usually on the back of the machine).

If you want to try taking a N95 mask and taping the whole thing over the air intake on the machine, then it should provide very little added restriction because of the large surface area.

There are people who have done exactly that on their cpaps when they're in wildfire areas and the air is terrible.

[JLROhio]

Jim,
Can you put your what machine and mask you have in your signature?
Something happened to the website and we can't see what we used to list as our machines anymore.

The reason I ask..is that if you have a RedMed 10 version machine...you'd have to really rig up something tight to get it to cover the air inlet.

The existing little foam filters that I use in my ResMed 10 doesn't really seem to fully do what it's supposed to do. I noted lots of dust we able to get around the filter because the filter door on the side is not exactly air tight and allows air (and dust) to flow right past the filter as it's drawn in by the turbine fan motor inside.

I do like PaleRiders suggestion of somehow using an entire N95 mask over the entire area surrounding the air intake (if that's even possible)...and having that larger surface area of the entire mask for the machine to draw in filtered air.

Oh, one other thing I was thinking of...Why not ask to speak with a respiratory tech who works at the hospital. They must have special filters and other implements that they use on Respirators, etc... If anyone is an expert on dealing with virus's and respiratory equipment, it would be one of them and they would probably have the best advice.

[jim.evo]

thanks everyone!

my pulmonologist is adamant i use it given i'll be coming out of surgery / anesthesia and on pain meds. i will use it.

i have a remstar + M that is my backup machine and what i'll use in the hospital. i really liked the idea of taping an entire mask over the inlet but i don't think it will work with my unit.

i have another concern that i'll start a new thread on.

[Pugsy]

really liked the idea of taping an entire mask over the inlet but i don't think it will work with my unit.

Actually I think it could be done with the M series fairly easily given where the air intake is on the M series machine.
Might take a little trimming to allow for the power cords and using rubber bands and/or tape to hold it in place.
It doesn't have to be a tight fit to filter the incoming air and you don't really want or need a tight fit anyway.

You could also add a hypoallergenic filter to the M series foam if you weren't already doing that. They are cheap and easy to find.

[metaltech]

As was suggested earlier an inline viral/bacterial filter wouldn't hurt. They just simply fit where your hose attaches to your machine. Unhook the hose attach the filter like the hose then reattach the hose.

[chunkyfrog]

As was suggested earlier an inline viral/bacterial filter wouldn't hurt. They just simply fit where your hose attaches to your machine. Unhook the hose attach the filter like the hose then reattach the hose.

Airsense 10 machines have a setting for an AB filter.

I am concerned with the uptick in Covid cases,
--if the hospital will even allow cpap use.
If it were me, I would hide it in a bag until time to go to bed,
then put it on the side of the bed away from the doorway.

[palerider]

As was suggested earlier an inline viral/bacterial filter wouldn't hurt. They just simply fit where your hose attaches to your machine. Unhook the hose attach the filter like the hose then reattach the hose.

Airsense 10 machines have a setting for an AB filter.

I am concerned with the uptick in Covid cases,
--if the hospital will even allow cpap use.
If it were me, I would hide it in a bag until time to go to bed,
then put it on the side of the bed away from the doorway.

All of the ones my late brother was in the last few months allowed it, even their machine (V60 BiPap™ (yes, I used that word, because it was made by philips, (and possibly just recalled, but not for foam)), was using a vented mask, so it wouldn't have made any (I know, there I go again) sense to prohibit a patient machine.

[chunkyfrog]

The last time I was in a hospital, they showed anything but common sense.
Wrong diet, trying to charge for eye drops I brought from home.
Luckily, I can use another hospital--and should have then . . .