Provent nostril valves?

Does anyone have experiencewith the Provent nostril valves?

Seems useful as a backup for travelling if CPAP machine unavailable.

I undertand they are doing more studies so distribution has been limited thus far.

Thanks....Keith

Okay, I'll take a stab at this.

I went to the website, expecting to see snake oil. I was pleasantly surprised. The "For Physicians" tab at the top leads to where a few (very small) studies have been done. Still, they are headed in the right direction. I read the abstracts and have the following conclusions:

1. This company appears to be trying to do this the right way. They appear to invite research. Good for them.
2. ALL of the studies note that it is only effective if the patient has mild to moderate OSA.
3. It does nothing if the patient has Central Sleep Apnea or some other breathing problem.
4. Only two of the studies used a control device.
5. They really should perform a larger double blind study at some point.
6. They will need to obtain FDA approval at some point.

So, if I had mild OSA, this would definitely be of interest.

Thanks for pointing this out.

Actually from the way these valves work I think that they would work better in someone with a lower pressure rather than the severity. Think about that.............

Hi All

I think Mac33 has got it right. It would be good to know what the cut-off point is.

and the links to the brochures are -

http://www.proventtherapy.com/pdfs/pdf05_QuickGuide.pdf

http://www.proventtherapy.com/pdfs/pdf0 ... ochure.pdf

cheers

Mars

Mars,
I don't see this working at pressures higher than 12 regardless of the AHI numbers.

Hi Mac33

Yeh, neither do I.

cheers

Mars

Thanks JohnB.
Very good points.

CPAP is difficult to use when travelling, and and - horrors! - one might forget a part of it, so I am assembling a always-in-shoulder-bag pouch of chin strap, sprays, ....

I take mild OSA as only needing low pressure, so don't understand what the others are talking about. Certainly the maker should start out offering it only for mild, due to lower risk of mild OSA.

BigNortherner wrote:... CPAP is difficult to use when travelling, and and - horrors! - one might forget a part of it, so I am assembling a always-in-shoulder-bag pouch of chin strap, sprays, ....

LOL! I hear you. The FIRST bag that I pack is my BiPAP unit. I then worry about packing everything else.

BigNortherner wrote:... I take mild OSA as only needing low pressure, so don't understand what the others are talking about. Certainly the maker should start out offering it only for mild, due to lower risk of mild OSA.

Mac33 and Mars are correct. There is only a loose correlation between the pressure and the severity of the apnea. But the pressure is the big deal here. Let me explain:

• Some people have a fairly low AHI and need a low pressure to keep their airway open.
• Some people have a fairly high AHI and need a higher pressure to keep their airway open.
• Some people have a fairly low AHI and need a higher pressure to keep their airway open.
• Some people have a fairly high AHI and need a lower pressure to keep their airway open.

It all depends on how much pressure the person needs to keep their airway open. The actual amount of pressure depends on lots of factors, such as age, how much of an opening is available for the airway, any neurological issues, etc. So, for those two groups who need a lower pressure, this device may work. That's the key for success with this technique.

But as you note, it becomes a very attractive alternative. And as I noted, I am impressed with their approach. They want an honest evaluation of the effectiveness.

Anyway, hope that makes it a bit clearer.