My S9 always reports the same leak

This is strange.

This month I've been switching around with the following, and each mask/pillows have good and bad points:

• Swift II
• Swift LT
• Activa
• Comfort Classic


My AHI is always < 1.0, BUT every day my LEAK RATE = 7.2, so the monthly avergae is also 7.2. ResMed allows up to 24.0 to be "normal" but come on, 7.2 each and every night ?

Isn't this strange ?

Anyone have an explanation or a cure ? Or because I feel great and the AHI is < 1.0 the leak rate should be ignored ? Hmmmmmm.. I could get an alternate loaner model to compare. Does the S8 display leak rates on the LCD ?

I agree. A multiple-night (you did not say how many days) repeated 7.2 leak rate seems very strange. Getting a loaner sounds like a good plan. Also, trying to force leakage to see if it exceeds 7.2 might provide useful info.

XSnorer wrote:I agree. A multiple-night (you did not say how many days) repeated 7.2 leak rate seems very strange. Getting a loaner sounds like a good plan. Also, trying to force leakage to see if it exceeds 7.2 might provide useful info.

Unplugged the S9 for 30 minutes yesterday.

Last night's leak again 7.2 !

Will contact ResMed and/or try another CPAP unit.

Physician wrote:

XSnorer wrote:I agree. A multiple-night (you did not say how many days) repeated 7.2 leak rate seems very strange. Getting a loaner sounds like a good plan. Also, trying to force leakage to see if it exceeds 7.2 might provide useful info.

Unplugged the S9 for 30 minutes yesterday.

Last night's leak again 7.2 !

Will contact ResMed and/or try another CPAP unit.

Please let us know the outcome. I am planning on buying the S9. It sounds to me to be a manufacturing defect. I am no expert, but like you say how can the leak rate remain the same over multiple nights.

Fredman wrote:
Please let us know the outcome. I am planning on buying the S9. It sounds to me to be a manufacturing defect. I am no expert, but like you say how can the leak rate remain the same over multiple nights.

And with FOUR different appliances. ResMed Tech Support had no ideas and said I should call my DMEP.

Before changing to an S8, decided to download the data card into ResScan.




ONE MONTH INTERVAL (AutoSet 12-18, EPR full time @ 3)

Median Usage 6:38 hrs./night

AI = 0.4
Hyponea Index: 0.1
AHI = 0.5

PRESSURE:
Median: 12.2
95th %ile: 14.8
Max : 17


LEAK:
Median 1.2
95th percentile 7.2
Max 188.4




I am not a math genius, but why is the MEDIAN LEAK = 1.2 while the 95th percentile is at 7.2 ? Is the 7.2 "falsely" elevated because of this bizarre 188 flow value ?

Checking other intervals including the one month above:

Median/95th%ile/Max

One Day 1.2/7.2/188
One Week 1.2/7.2/188
Two Weeks 1.2/7.4/188
Three Weeks 1.2/7.2/188
One Month 1.2/7.2/188
Two Months 0.0/ 4.8 / 63
Three Months 0.0/4.8/16.8


Can anyone fully explain what's happening here ? Is the 188 causing the 7.2 to appear on the ResMed LCD screen ?

Physician wrote:

Fredman wrote:
Please let us know the outcome. I am planning on buying the S9. It sounds to me to be a manufacturing defect. I am no expert, but like you say how can the leak rate remain the same over multiple nights.

And with FOUR different appliances. ResMed Tech Support had no ideas and said I should call my DMEP.

Yikes! Tech Support certainly hasn't been schooled in Customer support nor Public Relations! I would cringe if I were the VP Marketing and Sales!

It may be the software. The date on my detailed report is frozen at March 13, 2009. I've tried reloading, etc. but nothing seems to work.
I've even used different VPAP Auto 25s with no change in the date.
What does the screen on the unit say?

lktnky wrote:It may be the software. The date on my detailed report is frozen at March 13, 2009. I've tried reloading, etc. but nothing seems to work.
I've even used different VPAP Auto 25s with no change in the date.
What does the screen on the unit say?

The screen/LCD Sleep Report is what started my inquiry. The screen displayed LEAK = 7.2 every day for the past month no matter which of my four nose/face units was used.

I put on a mask or pillows and THEN press the on button so there is no reason for any leak to be >20, and yet the software reports a max of over 180. I turn OFF the S9 before I removed the facial appliance.

Anyone else here get a leak >180 reported by the ResScan software ?

median means that half (50%) the leaks are less than that value and half (50%) are greater. It is not the average but the median, or middle value.

95th percentile means that 95% of the leaks are below that number and only 5% are above. This is why this number is higher than the median or middle.

The max leak may be from something like turning on the machine without the lid on the humidifier closed all the way, the hose not on etc.

B_4 wrote:median means that half (50%) the leaks are less than that value and half (50%) are greater. It is not the average but the median, or middle value.

95th percentile means that 95% of the leaks are below that number and only 5% are above. This is why this number is higher than the median or middle.

The max leak may be from something like turning on the machine without the lid on the humidifier closed all the way, the hose not on etc.

Okay, but the humidifier has never been used, the hose ends are on tight,the hose is intact, no leaks are audible, and the mask or pillows are in place at bedtime BEFORE the machine is manually turned on.

• Any other reasons for the >180 value ???????

• Anyone else recording such a high max leak ????

• Should this high max be ignored because of the acceptable AHI ?

Physician wrote:

B_4 wrote:median means that half (50%) the leaks are less than that value and half (50%) are greater. It is not the average but the median, or middle value.

95th percentile means that 95% of the leaks are below that number and only 5% are above. This is why this number is higher than the median or middle.

The max leak may be from something like turning on the machine without the lid on the humidifier closed all the way, the hose not on etc.

Okay, but I don't use an humidifier, the hose ends are on tight, and I put on a mask or pillows at bedtime BEFORE I manually turn on the machine.

Any other reasons for the >180 value ???????

I am not sure. I had some > 150 but I would take the mask off while it was running to fidget with it, accidently leave the humidifier door open for a sec when I started the machine. When I was dilligent to not do these leaky things the high max went away.

Would any and all of you be satisfied if your 95th percentile were 7.2 with an AHI = 0.5 ?

Physician, my highest LCD screen-reported leak rate with the ResMed machines has been 13.2 L/min over the last year. My leak rate was so high that night because I was trying out a new chinstrap (which obviously didn't work well). My leak rate is almost always 0.0 with both the S8 and S9 machines. I use the PAPCap with nasal pillows masks, but I know that chinstraps don't work for everyone.

When does the software say these massive leaks are occurring??? Since you're using nasal and nasal pillows masks, have you completely ruled out mouth-breathing during the night? I was sleeping right through those leaks myself. Any chance that you may be removing the mask at night while the machine's still running and not realize it? Many people seem to take their masks off without remembering. I suggest you look closely at the ResScan leak graphs to figure out what may be happening. Let us know what you discover!

DreamOn wrote:Physician, my highest LCD screen-reported leak rate with the ResMed machines has been 13.2 L/min over the last year. My leak rate was so high that night because I was trying out a new chinstrap (which obviously didn't work well). My leak rate is almost always 0.0 with both the S8 and S9 machines. I use the PAPCap with nasal pillows masks, but I know that chinstraps don't work for everyone.

When does the software say these massive leaks are occurring??? Since you're using nasal and nasal pillows masks, have you completely ruled out mouth-breathing during the night? I was sleeping right through those leaks myself. Any chance that you may be removing the mask at night while the machine's still running and not realize it? Many people seem to take their masks off without remembering. I suggest you look closely at the ResScan leak graphs to figure out what may be happening. Let us know what you discover!

Thank you so much, DO. Although I've downloaded all the data, which includes one week of "detailed", I am not familiar enough after "Open Patient" of where to find the graph or info you are suggesting. Somehow by going to he left side and clicking on a day, then clicking at the top bar "Reports", then a pop-up windows "okay", it did generate a few reports. Just checked a few days, and there was a spike at 5AM when I was asleep, but the other two days look free of spikes.

The ResMed ResScan software is far from user-friendly, especially if one usually uses a Macintosh.

Highly unlikely that I would successfully remove all four appliances while asleep, and be able to put each one back on while asleep.

Can someone tell me how to check the past seven days of graphs, and how to capture the graph for posting here ?