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Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2016 9:08 pm
by TheRyGuy
There is some air being vented.
It's coming from this little slit of open space.
Not sure if this is an intentional vent or the pieces are just coming apart!?

Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2016 9:12 pm
by chunkyfrog
I have never seen a slit shaped vent. The fogging over may or may not be normal.
I wonder if there was a vent on the hospital's hose.
If you no longer have a vented hose from the hospital, the mask should not be used.
Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2016 9:50 pm
by TheRyGuy
chunkyfrog wrote:I have never seen a slit shaped vent. The fogging over may or may not be normal.
I wonder if there was a vent on the hospital's hose.
If you no longer have a vented hose from the hospital, the mask should not be used.
Thank you.
Done deal - not using it.
Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2016 10:57 pm
by palerider
that mask does indeed vent at the slit where there's the thick part, right at the elbow.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/comfor ... onics.html
if it didn't vent, you'd be dead by now.
Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:23 am
by cands
palerider wrote:
if it didn't vent, you'd be dead by now.
I'm now curious about this statement. Are there any known cases of vents blocking? With all the smarts in the modern machines, are there any safeguards if there is no vent rate detected? I'm not worried, just curious. Will the machine even continue to work if no vent is detected?
On another related topic, I know the anti-asphyxiation valves work because I have slept through a couple of power failures. I believe if it failed I would wake up?
Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 8:48 am
by rohdej
For those of us with the P110 nasal pillow mask with the wonderful quiet mesh vent, if your cleaning regiment is light to non-existent, the mesh vent will clog. When it clogs (not if) there are no alarms on the CPAP box to warn you. You will need to listen to your body. With no to light venting you will rebreath your exhaled air. If you're awake you won't be able to catch your breath. If you're asleep you will be somewhere between building a tremendous headache and dead.
Vents are important, keep them clean.
Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 9:12 am
by bill-e
I used a similar mask for many years but then at my last sleep study they let me try an F&P Eson. The Eson is way more comfortable for me and and has a great seal and I've now been using one for about 3 or so years. If you decide to try another nasal mask, I highly recommend the Eson.
Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:04 pm
by JimW159
There is a sound economic reason for making sure vents are clear and work correctly: funerals cost more than a mask.
Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:13 pm
by chunkyfrog
A note about p10 exhalation mesh:
When I inspect the mesh for blockage, I look through the mesh towards a good, bright light.
If your vision is poor, it might be best to schedule a good cleaning whether or not it is needed.
Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:28 pm
by D.H.
A mask with no vents would be very dangerous. However, no such thing is made. As other respondents have already established, that mask, and all masks, are vented.
The only caveat here is that it is possible (but not likely) that the vents are clogged. I suggest testing the mask by wearing it and turning on your CPAP machine and making sure you can feel the exhaust.
Re: Nasal mask with no vent is dangerous??
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2016 1:01 pm
by palerider
cands wrote:palerider wrote:
if it didn't vent, you'd be dead by now.
I'm now curious about this statement. Are there any known cases of vents blocking? With all the smarts in the modern machines, are there any safeguards if there is no vent rate detected? I'm not worried, just curious. Will the machine even continue to work if no vent is detected?
On another related topic, I know the anti-asphyxiation valves work because I have slept through a couple of power failures. I believe if it failed I would wake up?
perhaps it's more accurate to say "if it didn't vent, you couldn't wear it for long" because as your co2 builds up, your respiratory drive kicks up into higher and higher gear, and you'd be gasping for breath inside a minute or two, certainly before you could get to sleep.
at any rate, the OPs mask *IS* vented, just with an older clunky respironics method... I've got one of those around here somewhere that I got thrown in with a craigslist cpap I bought years ago, ... or maybe I finally got around to throwing it out