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deltadave kindly sent me this link to ResMed's description of "EPR" (expiratory pressure relief) which is a feature in their new line of S8 machines.

ResMed's Description of "EPR".

I sent that link to -SWS. Here are -SWS's recent comments, regarding ResMed's "EPR" and Respironics "C-Flex and "BiFlex."
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From -SWS:

Beautiful description. One thing that strikes me
is that Resmed managed to get a trademark on the
acronym for "expiratory pressure relief". Can't use
"EPR" to describe anything but Resmed's proprietary
version of expiratory pressure relief. LOL! I'm sure
Resmed is just as happy as can be that they were
awarded a trademark on that acronym!

The other thing that struck me as interesting is that
Resmed's EPR is exactly 1 cm, 2 cm, or 3 cm pressure
relief during expiration. That makes it true BiLevel,
unlike C-Flex.

Speaking of exact pressure relief, I saw from Christine's
post that BiFlex is not a cm-precise drop as I had guessed
(I sure am glad---very glad---that I said "..and I could be
wrong" in those comments of mine you had posted!)
Rather BiFlex is just as "relative" and not cm-precise as
C-Flex.

The only thing distinguishing those two flex features, as
Christine correctly points out, is whether that relative
Flex relief is applied on top of a fixed CPAP pressure
or whether that Flex relief is applied on top of an EPAP
pressure already being delivered by BiPAP.

I spent roughly fifteen minutes reading that Flex patent
almost a year ago (?) and connected the dots wrong
about BiFlex being cm-precise. The interesting thing
is that CFlex and BiFlex share the same patent, and
are described as one and the same. The two most salient
aspects of that CFlex/BiFlex feature, then are:

1) relative pressure relief for both during expiration

and

2) AutoPEEP (an automatic Positive Expiratory-End Pressure),
meaning that by the end of expiration, the higher pressure
is already restored.

I haven't had a chance to read many posts, but I did see
a few by DeltaDave. I sure am glad he's doing what he
does. I think he's a Godsend, and does a superb job of
educating both hoseheads and professionals alike.

It is interesting to read that the pressure relief is by lowering the speed of the blower motor.

I read a doc on how the Polaris Soft-flex works & it is a popet valve attached to a stepper motor - the valve causes the air from the blower to be redirected away from the patient air exit.

If my earlier evaluation is correct re Polaris units being reboxed F&P 22x models, then the Polaris SOFT-Flex poses the question of did Polaris add it or is F&P experimenting with it.

RG, have you ever got your hands on a soft-flex Polaris ?

I would like to hear what people think of it. It would seem that the path taken by ResMed & Respironics, in manipulating the blower motor, may be the easier method to manufacture.

I may try to get hold of a Soft-flex machine to compare it.

Cheers

DSM

Respironics said it was released Wednesday, 10-19-05. I'm looking for it now to purchase with the intergrated heated humidifier. If anyone can find it, let me know.

Yes, I put it in the other thread where you originally asked. $1500.00 with integrated heated humidifier....

BIPAP AUTO with BiFlex and integrated heated humidifier

I wouldn't be in a hurry to buy Resmed's Autoset CS2 if I were you. I bought one in 2004 and it hasn't helped with my CSA at all.

Firstly, the unit used to go nuts with errors & beeping every few nights for the first year - until they released a bug-fix firmware revision. So that took them at least a year to come up with. My MP3 player, laptop, etc, seem to get patches released within a few weeks of problems being reported & they cost a fraction of this unit.

As far as it "auto adjusting" to your breathing rate - that just doesn't work. It will fight with you to force air into your lungs at the rate it chooses. This is non-adjustable. In the end, you either give-in & breath as fast as it decides or you take the damn thing off. If you can fall asleep with this happening, then I envy you.

Lastly, despite the enormous cost of the unit, they have not bothered to give it any delay function. So as soon as you put it on, you're 100% on a ventilator.

Worst of all, their customer support is pathetic - especially considering the cost. Once they have your $$$, they don't want to know about the problems.

Good luck....!


[quote="christinequilts"]But no ST model from the looks of it ...guess I have to wait for ResMeds Autoset CS2 and hope it is different enough then their VPAP II STA so it actually stops more of my centrals. I would love it if any of the new technologies can get me to a more acceptable AHI- 30ish was good in comparison to the 65 I had without BiPAP ST at first, but after 2 years I am litterally tired of it and I want more (or less, as the case may be).