Phillips / Philips Respironics recent recall notice discussion thread

[Grumpy48]

Pugsy, wouldn't this also show up in OSCAR?

No.
What PR said X2.

OSCAR only shows what the machine records but sometimes it thinks it is doing so and so but it isn't.
We have seen reports of machines thinking they were delivering 10 cm and that's what gets reported but it actually is delivering 20 cm....or 5 cm.

When it comes to my health I don't guess...I want scientific verification.
If you were diabetic would you rely on a glucometer that had been opened up and messed with and might not be accurate now?
Wouldn't you want to verify that it was still accurate???

What's so hard about using a manometer???? This is people's airways we are talking about here....oxygen levels perhaps being compromised.
To tell someone to just reduce their pressure because something "feels" like it is too much.....bad advice IMHO and potentially dangerous.

ESPECIALLY when it is so easy to verify that messing with the guts of the machine didn't mess up anything.

USE a frigging manometer instead of guessing.
It's not like the damn thing costs 500 bucks to make or buy...they are cheap.
You guys are so frigging worried about the foam and not worried about screwing up the machine sensors ( or just using to low of a pressure because it doesn't "feel" right) and maybe getting sub optimal therapy.....doesn't make much sense to me.

So I have an air line that has a valve on it and and there is a constant source of air pressure connected to the air line. With the valve full open and a manometer connected to the end of the air line measures 20cmH2O pressure. If I close the valve halfway, has the pressure the manometer reads changed or has it remained the same? The half closed valve has created a resistance in the air hose, but the pressure that is after the valve will eventually equalize to the pressure that is before the valve. The half closed valve will restrict the flow rate so it may just a fraction longer for the pressure to equalize in both halves of the hose so they are the same.
While a manometer would be of no value to see a difference of foam or no foam, it would be a good check to ensure the integrity of the housing if opened to remove the foam.

[palerider]

I just want to make sure that removing the foam doesn't change any filtration.

No, it doesn't, the foam has nothing to do with filtering anything (except noise).

[palerider]

While a manometer would be of no value to see a difference of foam or no foam, it would be a good check to ensure the integrity of the housing if opened to remove the foam.

And see? that's where over simplified theory falls flat in the face of fact.

Put your manometer on the end of the hose, and watch it as you breathe. (use an oxygen adapter, I did)

It's trivia to verify the pressures in a dynamic system as the machine compensates for the continuously variable flow that your lungs create.

[pamedwards]

Could someone please explain or point me to info about a manometer? I googled it and many things came up and I would have no idea how to use one in relation to checking a bipap. Thanks, it seems a regular mention now as a way to check for changes (before and) after foam removal. Mine is a system one bipap.

[GrumpyHere]

DIY manometer - free if you have a ruler and a bucket

get a ruler and hold it to the bottm of the hose- preferably a metric ruler- then dip it into a container of water at least 6-8 inches deep-

turn on the machine and gradually raise it until air starts bubbling out.
look at the mark on the ruler and get your reading.

remember 2.54 cm= 1 inch
1 cm= .39 inches

cant get much easier than this.

Example of commercial manometer.
Fill with color dyed water, plug on the hose.
Turn on CPAP, vary the pressure, read the measurement.

https://www.cpap.com/search?query=Manometer



Another example

[palerider]

Or, ebay: eg https://www.ebay.com/itm/292902244533?h ... OSwG49cFGa~

[SleepyCPAP]

Example of commercial manometer
Fill with color dyed water, plug on the hose.
Turn on CPAP, vary the pressure, read the measurement.

I’m cheap, and looked online about home-made manometers.

I have used water in a loop of CPAP hose and measured the displacement. For instance, I put the CPAP on kitchen counter, and tube draped to the floor and back up again. I put a few inches of water in through the open end into the loop. I put a piece of paper behind, and mark where the water level is while the machine is off, then mark again with the machine on. It was easy enough to see the water, so no dye needed. I think I had to double the difference and it came out right.

Just remember to drain the hose!

It is sad that we are going to such great lengths in the absence of directions from the manufacturer or DMEs, but then again that’s what we’ve learned to do all along for our treatment.

[chunkyfrog]

Doctors, dealers, and manufacturers all treat us like mushrooms--
keeping us in the dark, and feeding us sh*t.
Science is not magic; and it is within the reach of the reasonably educated.
Medical specialization can be viewed as proof that most are just average.

[zonker]

It is sad that we are going to such great lengths in the absence of directions from the manufacturer or DMEs, but then again that’s what we’ve learned to do all along for our treatment.

[chunkyfrog]

And this treatment should be ILLEGAL.
When are the Congressional hearings?
Somebody deserves a subpoena!

[BrianD]

And this treatment should be ILLEGAL.
When are the Congressional hearings?
Somebody deserves a subpoena!

Maybe they will come right before or after the HIPPA violations for keeping people from accessing/utilizing their raw health data contained on their own machine data card, which some vendors now feel they need to encrypt, effectively keeping patients from utilizing proper available analysis software, to keep it from being read by Sleephead/OSCAR enabling the patient to adequately monitor his/her condition in a meaningful way. This encryption should be a violation or the keys should be made available to valid opensource developers to incorporate in their software products, It will be a great day once politicians start taking care of the interests of the American People over the interests of corporate profit.

[zonker]

It will be a great day once politicians start taking care of the interests of the American People over the interests of corporate profit.

perhaps our decendants will live in such a world.

a fella can dream, right?

[10Gauge]

Seems to me, we need to fill the inbox of the primary villain in this story.

https://www.philips.com/a-w/about/execu ... =close_tab

[kbh209]

Seems to me, we need to fill the inbox of the primary villain in this story.

https://www.philips.com/a-w/about/execu ... =close_tab

messaging someone in the marketing department won't get far. If anything, the Chief Operations Officer would be the person to contact. Though reaching out to them would be beating a dead horse. Local and National News outlets are reporting on the issue, the health insurance companies are aware of the issue. Ambulance chasers have already started their websites for patients who want to join in on the class action lawsuit. Nothing much we patients can do, except either wait for our machines to be prepared or acquire a non-Philips Respironics machine.

[Captain_Midnight]

Occasional visitor Captain Midnight here, and I'm highly interested in what I'll learn from this thread.

CG asks if anyone here understands basic toxicology, and quotes Paracelsus ... The dose make the poison.

Well, I happen to have an acquaintance with the science of Toxicology, and I agree with your point CG.

At this point, I'm in the info gathering stage, I've no answers and lots of questions (and 2 PR machines and no problems). I have many, many posts to read as of yet. Among my questions are...

1. What are the chemicals (all of them) in the gas, and what is the range of concentrations?
2. Do the higher concentrations of gas occur with newer equipment (think of when you replace your mask with a new one, pretty stinky initially, but it gradually goes away) or is the gassing a result of aging or chemical reaction with ozone cleaners?
3. Do the patients reporting illness have comorbidities such as COPD or heart failure?
4. And, can the foam be removed and replaced with a more stable material (I like my machines, I get great results, I prefer to keep them).

My guess is that my questions will be answered as I read farther. As I'm able to apply my scientific background to some of the issues presented, I'll chime in here and there.

.