HME on my REMstat?

tjgriffin · Post by **tjgriffin** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 12:21 pm

After reading about the Transcends CPAP machine, I've been wondering if it is possible to put an HME on my current hose and give up the humidifier. I searched didn't find anything specific for CPAP, but there were HMEs for anesthesia and respetory machines. Would it be ok to use one of these on a CPAP machine? Since HMEs are not new technology, I wonder why they haven' been used in CPAP before.

Thanks!

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 12:30 pm

Could you spell out HME once for the rest of us please?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 2:27 pm

Julie wrote:Could you spell out HME once for the rest of us please?

Sorry! It's Heat Moisture Exchange. It recaptures moisture in your breath when you exhale, and gives it back when you inhale. With this, you don't need to humidify the air from your CPAP Transcends calls it something like a tankless, heatless humidifier.

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Fri Mar 16, 2012 3:07 pm

Don't mean to be flippant, but it strikes me (who knows nothing of the technology) that it could be like catching the same cold over and over!

But I've never heard of it in regard to Cpap...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:35 am

Julie wrote:Don't mean to be flippant, but it strikes me (who knows nothing of the technology) that it could be like catching the same cold over and over!

But I've never heard of it in regard to Cpap...

I wondered about that too. Any technicians out there care to pipe in?

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:40 am

As I understand, the filter thingie has to be replaced FREQUENTLY.
But, as it stands, this is the only way you can have humidification in a plane.
Would that we could avoid breathing the nasty air--outside of riding in cargo.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:51 am

And my first thought was, wouldn't we be re-breathing the CO2??

tjgriffin · Post by **tjgriffin** » Tue Mar 20, 2012 1:29 pm

chunkyfrog wrote:As I understand, the filter thingie has to be replaced FREQUENTLY.
But, as it stands, this is the only way you can have humidification in a plane.
Would that we could avoid breathing the nasty air--outside of riding in cargo.

I'm not sure. I don't know how often Transcends recommend changing the filter. Poking around the net, I didn't find a lot on that topic, but one site said that changing passive humidifiers daily is not necessary. They can be used safely for at least 48 hrs and sometimes upto a week. Caveats: That was from a 2003 report. It was with regards to forced air respiratory therapy, not CPAP. Here's the link:

http://www.rcjournal.com/cpgs/09.03.0869.html

As to rebreathing CO2, that's a serious concern and one I hope someone can address. The Trascends gear is designed against that.

I'm actually considering getting a Transcends.

HME on my REMstat?

HME on my REMstat?

Re: HME on my REMstat?

Re: HME on my REMstat?

Re: HME on my REMstat?

Re: HME on my REMstat?

Re: HME on my REMstat?

Re: HME on my REMstat?

Re: HME on my REMstat?