Hospitalization and CPAP

Eight days in the hospital with cpap following four way coronary artery bypass graft had its ups and downs. Prior to admission I prepared my machine as recommended by this forum and told my surgeons staff about my cpap. Problems arose on the second day when they shut down the surgical breathing machine and attempted to use my cpap. They couldn't figure out how to connect the oxygen which resulted in two days of just oxygen. Since they were continuously monitoring my O2 Sat there was no problem except for the fact that I became more dependent on the supplemental O2.Finally after about three days they found an adapter for my cpap hose to attach the O2. Problems occured immediately when the S8 autoset II continued to attempt to regulate the pressure alond with the added O2 pressure.It went berserk! Cycling continuously while making lots of noise. Again they disconnected it stating that it had failed. Back to straight O2.Finally after another day I was clear headed enough to remove the CPAP O2 and try the machine again. It worked fine. It took me an added couple of days to be weaned from the O2 and be sent home.

Ergh! Doesn't sound promising for those of us who follow! Did you have the Clinican's Manual w/you for their RT to go thru? Did you think to ask that they call Resmed? Resmed will provide assistance to medical professionals. It might be worth contacting Resmed and making them aware of the problem. Given your circumstances they might advise you on what could have been done and should be done if the need should arise again in the future. Sure am glad you made it thru okay and hope you mend and recover easily and quickly!!!

Come to think of it: I overnighted in the Chest Pain Clinic after a trip to ER a year or so ago. There is a small plastic attachment, its just a plastic tube w/a nipple on the side that fits between the humidifier and your mask hose. The hospital's 02 line could be attached to that nipple. I was using my Resmed S8 Elite at the time, I'm pretty sure. I'll be darned if I can remember if I've ever used 02 w/my Resmed S8 AutoSet Vantage - but I DO use 2L of 02 supplementation w/my Resmed VPAP Auto (which has the EasyBreathe technology) w/no problems. It may be that all you need is that litte plastic attachment. Its expensive for what it is, I think about $8-$10 for something that looks worth about $2-$3 but you can buy it w/o script online. It might be worthwhile to buy one, just as insurance, and keep it in your Resmed xPAP carry case.

On the other hand, it may also be that there is another method of attaching an 02 line that some hospitals might need. I would think that the info might well be in your User's Manual. It would be worth your while to go thru your manual now and find the answers to this dilemna before the need should arise again in the future. Sometimes being prepared works as a great prevention! I keep my Clinician's Manual in my xPAP carry case JUST IN CASE.

Wow!

Well... the very best with your recovery!

Resmed seems to have two products when oxygen is used. The oxygen sideport connector which allows the oxygen to be introduced into the air stream and an oxygen diverter valve which prevents the oxygen from flowing back into the machine.

Perhaps the connector they found did not provide for a good seal and the machine was attempting to compensate? Just speculation on my part.

Wow. Glad to hear you made it through alright and are back at home. Hope you continue to recover and do well.

Such an ordeal! I too, wish you a smooth recovery Engransan.

This raises a question for me as to whether an oxygen adapter should be standard equipment packed with the xpap in case of hospitalization. Hard to believe that it is not just included with the machines. I looked on cpap.com and could not find these for either of the machines I now have. Will check the company websites.

Whoops--edited because I did just find a universal one at cpap.com:
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/O2-Enr ... apter.html

We tend to be a cautious group and I like the idea of being prepared. I suggest making an instruction sheet of pictures with words as supplemental to go in your kit with the O2 adapter.

Does the O2 line always have pressure greater than the xPAP? If not how can it work?

I don't know HOW it works but it does. The 02 enters your "system" AFTER the xPAP and BEFORE the mask hose so I assume the CPAP pressure just pushes the extra 02 along w/the pressure it has produced thru the hose to your mask. Simple enough, I guess.

Hey, I just went through this myself (Sept 19) except I had a heart attack to proceed the bypass surgery and defibulator/pacemaker implant. I had been on oxygen up until several months before I ended up in the hospital. My experance was a lot better than yours I think. Have to admit I lost 5 days of memory out of my life. My wife had to fill me in on the 5 days. Hospital called in a pulmanologist as soon as they found out I had sleep apnea and he had my wife get my whole cpap set-up and bring it up to the hospital and set it up just like I used it at home as soon as the breathing tube was removed. I still had the oxygen adapter and they did hook up oxygen for a day or two. But I have the Respirionics "M" series and it handles oxygen input well and is easy to hook up.

Sorry you had so much trouble. After reading your account I consider myself lucky.

Jerry

I'm glad you brought up hospitalization. I had never thought about having my machine at a hospital. I now have an O2 adapter and providers manual in my BiPAP carry bag in case my wife ever has to collect my stuff and bring it to a hospital in an emergency.

Dale

IF I am going anywhere near the hospital or ER for personal health reasons I take my backup xPAP w/everything needed, including an extra mask, in its carry case! That includes going in for a routine colonoscopy or upper endoscopy or any same day procedure or test that might require conscious sedation, sedation or anesthesia. Better safe than sorry. And a lot easier than waiting for someone to go home and get it or bring it from home. Take it w/you in the first place! (I also take my laptop!)

OldLincoln wrote:Does the O2 line always have pressure greater than the xPAP? If not how can it work?

Bernoulli's principle.

this is good info to have, just in case...........