Modified Quattro = no more pressure sores on my nose

[islandboy5150]

Whooo Hoo! After five years, I finally found a real fix to prevent pressure sores on the bridge of my nose from the Quattro FFM. I removed the cusion and blue retainer ring/clip, took a round file to the raised edging at the top on the inside of the mask (it forms a groove that the cushion snaps into) and filed down that lip. I filed it down to match the contour of the bridge of my nose, and then some, so now it doesnt smash into the bridge of my nose anymore. It would do that, and leave a gash sometimes, breaking the skin. I hated waking up over and over every night with sharp stinging pains and having to adjust the mask to relieve the pain. Not anymore though! Since I filed down that lip inside the mask, it hasn't come close to even touching my nose and it has been wonderful not waking up with the pain and soreness every morning, not to mention a big sore for everyone to stare at all day!

[Airplaneman]

I started with the Quattro FX and did not like the straps below my eyes. Woke up one morning with one strap over my eye and had blurred vision for half a day. Finally switched to the Mirage Quattro and the doctor first had the nose bridge all the way down and I delvoped a really bad blister that took 2 weeks to go away. After learning to adjust the height above my nose correctly I am much happier and like the Mirage much better than the FX. I am glad you found a solution. I am starting year two but had the FX for the first half of year one. Which Quattro do you have that you are modifying?
-Airplane

[squid13]

How about a picture showing what you've done.

[kaiasgram]

I'd like to see a picture too, I just bought the same mask and haven't used it yet partly because I've yet to find a nasal or FFM mask that doesn't cut into the bridge of my nose. Did the clip and cushion fit right back on after you filed it?

[joeyjernigan]

How about a picture showing what you've done.

I would like to see a picture as well.

[rcs914]

I'm going to chime in for a picture - I've used a Quattro Mirage for more than 2 years. In the past it has been fine, but after I just restarted therapy (the only change to the mask was an addition of a pad-a-cheek) I have had a major sore develop on the bridge of my nose after a week. I never had these problems before I used the pad-a-cheek. I would try taking the pad-a-cheek off, but before I got it I had major leakage that would wake me up by squealing. I'm wondering if it is time to try a new mask - I've never had any other though, and I am not really sure where to start.

I didn't think that the mask itself was pressing against my nose, though at this point I am not certain what is happening.

Chris

[rcs914]

I'm going to chime in for a picture - I've used a Quattro Mirage for more than 2 years. In the past it has been fine, but after I just restarted therapy (the only change to the mask was an addition of a pad-a-cheek) I have had a major sore develop on the bridge of my nose after a week. I never had these problems before I used the pad-a-cheek. I would try taking the pad-a-cheek off, but before I got it I had major leakage that would wake me up by squealing. I'm wondering if it is time to try a new mask - I've never had any other though, and I am not really sure where to start.

I didn't think that the mask itself was pressing against my nose, though at this point I am not certain what is happening.

Chris

[kaiasgram]

Chris, were you using the pad a cheek liner or strap pad?

[rcs914]

The liner - I wanted something to prevent the blowouts that I always got with the mask for the past few months.

[kaiasgram]

The liner - I wanted something to prevent the blowouts that I always got with the mask for the past few months.

Oh bummer, I just bought the mask and ordered a liner hoping to prevent leaks and nose bridge sores. We need to contour our masks with a file, hopefully island boy will help us out.

[123.Shawn T.W.]

I see what he means, I may try it when I get home next month ...

Take your mask apart, and look at the solid plastic part that is up by the bridge of the nose . . . You can see how it could put pressure on the nose, I'm thinking Dremel ... Wish the fix was as easy for my TrueBlue I just got ...

[Vader]

yes, pictures, please!

[TheRealMacGyver]

I just looked at mine and I'm not sure about this idea. I see the area that would be filed down, but when I fit the mask without the silicone seal "thingy" that part of the plastic mask doesn't come in contact with the part of my nose that is sore. So I am not sure this solution will work. If I thought it would I would grind mine down right now because my nose is killing me right now!

[islandboy5150]

Sorry everybody, haven't been online since I posted. I'll try to figure out how to post a pic as soon as I can. Busy with work, and have some significant medical issues to deal with, ( who doesn't) right? In the meantime, more detail on what I did: once I removed the cushion and retainer, I looked at the body of the mask, on the inside, and right below the vertical frame piece that goes up to the forehead rest, is the groove that the cushion snaps into. It's the walls of that groove that i filed down, at the very apex or top, part of that sharp curve. The wall that I filed down, is the lower wall of the groove (lower meaning the side of the groove closest to the to the exhaust vent). I filed down at the apex of the curve, and a little down each side as the groove runs down on the left and the right. Doing that contoured the wall to match the curvature of the bridge of my nose. After filing down that wall, it wasnt making contact with the bridge of my nose anymore. I could feel something hitting the bridge if my nose before I filed it down, and from looking at the mask, I figured that groove wall had to be what was doing it. I wear my mask pretty tight. I have to to keep it from leaking. I asked Karen to make me a liner out of fleece, and while it feels really nice and even seals over my long stubble, I still have to crank down on the mask to get it to seal, far enough that the cushion is smooshed and collapsed almost completely. That's where the problem started. But, if I don't, it leaks bad. With or without a liner. The cushion has a cut out in it that conforms to the nose bridge, but underneath that, right under it, is that groove wall, that would dig right into the nose bridge because it didn't have any curve or cut out to it to accommodate it. I did find though, that air will leak under the cushion seal, between the cushion and the floor of the groove once that wall was filed down. I didn't anticipate that to leak, but it was easy enough to fix by cutting out a small piece of t-shirt material to fit into the groove with the seat of the cushion. That blocked air from passing underneath the seal. Works like a champ. My nose feels great every morning now.