Frequency of replacing Mirage Quattro cushion?

Fellow Quattro users, how frequently do you change your mask cushions? I have right at three months use on my first cushion. Last night I had way more leakage than normal, disturbing my rest. Should I replace it? My normal cleaning routine is half the time I wipe the cushion with unscented wipes (pampers) and half the time with I use a hypoallogenic soap + hot water. Yesterday I had cleaned with soap+ hot water and had showered within an hour of going to bed, so shoulda been a good night's rest...

Hi, about ever 3 months on cushions. How old is your headgear? Change every 6 months. Headgear read will stretch. Do you sleep your side? All of this could be the problem.

Muddpa

There has been some discussion in the past about declining quality of a certain company's parts.
It may have been a rumor--or not.
Make sure your supplier uses the HCPCS for CUSHION--not MASK, as a former DME tried to do to me.
Mask replacement is about 3X the expected life of a cushion.

Do you have a replacement cushion for backup already in your possession? If not you probably should get one.
Cushion life just like nasal pillow life can vary a lot between users.

Once you have a new cushion available....you might want to think about "the boiling thing".
Explained in this thread with some really nice pictures of the results.
viewtopic/t75749/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=74 ... il#p685240

I wouldn't go doing it without having a replacement on hand though. I tried it with my nasal pillows...couldn't tell it did much but maybe they were too far gone in the first place. I gets months and months of use from mine.

Pugsy wrote:Do you have a replacement cushion for backup already in your possession? If not you probably should get one.
Cushion life just like nasal pillow life can vary a lot between users.

Once you have a new cushion available....you might want to think about "the boiling thing".
Explained in this thread with some really nice pictures of the results.
viewtopic/t75749/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=74 ... il#p685240

I wouldn't go doing it without having a replacement on hand though. I tried it with my nasal pillows...couldn't tell it did much but maybe they were too far gone in the first place. I gets months and months of use from mine.

Thanks for the link! Yes, I do have a new cushion on hand. Will give the boil method a shot tonight!

Muddpa wrote:Hi, about ever 3 months on cushions. How old is your headgear? Change every 6 months. Headgear read will stretch. Do you sleep your side? All of this could be the problem.

Muddpa

Headgear is 3 months old as well so got a few more months to go. I do sleep on my side and my back. Last night I was getting lots of chirping leaks that quickly resolved with adjustment but didn't stay that way very long... I was too lazy and/or tired to get up and completely adjust things... However, I'm feeling it today.

chunkyfrog wrote:There has been some discussion in the past about declining quality of a certain company's parts.
It may have been a rumor--or not.
Make sure your supplier uses the HCPCS for CUSHION--not MASK, as a former DME tried to do to me.
Mask replacement is about 3X the expected life of a cushion.

All my expenses to date were on last year's insurance. Good, thanks for the heads up and I will be on the look out for proper coding! The billing department at the DME did not inspire confidence when I last talked with them...

I've been getting about 2 -3 months use out of a Quattro cushion... but some of the briefness may be because I have higher pressures and Bi-pap, so my cushion flexes a lot each night.

when mine starts to go, it feels like it is collapsed and won't fully inflate.

Dave

im 3 years with the same mask, cushion and parts other than straps/headgear.
i clean it everyday and have boiled the cushion twice in that time.
i have been getting some leakage recently and will be ordering a new one this week.
i guess ive been lucky.

I replace mine at 3+ months also, however I have made one last 5 months by boiling it. I modified the boiling procedure. I only boil it for 1-2 minutes and it comes out crystal clear and has the tacky feel of a new cushion. The baking soda removes the accumulated oils. Boiling does not damage the cushion at all.

I recommend you find out how often your insurance will pay for new cushions and other supplies. Buy new ones as often as possible until you have about two spares of everything, then order as needed. I think one month for cushions is common.

I think my soft parts last longer if I clean one set each week and let them sit dry until the next cleaning cycle, when I switch to the clean, dry set and wash the dirty ones.

Long term, I think they only need to be discarded when they are damaged, worn out, leak, or get grungy.

Minimum of every three months is the standard. Every two months is much better, if you can afford to buy two or three Quattro cushions out of pocket a year. That is what I do, replace mine every two months. But I have in the past gone three months.

After three months, those cushions get flimsy and floppy and the leaks start up really bad. The cushions simply wear out. To prevent premature wearing out, clean only with mild liquid soap and lukewarm water, like Ivory liquid dish soap. Do not use hot water. Do not use any anti-bacterial soap to wash it, anti-bacterial soap accelerates the silicone breakdown. Ditto with using vinegar on silicone cusions, dont do it. Same thing with any product that has vaseline or petroleum product in it, like Neosporin. All will break down a mask fast.

My routine is replace every two months. Wash in lukewarm water using Ivory liquid soap. Rinse thoroughly and air dry out of direct sunlight. DONE. Reassemble.

Eric

Thanks for all the replies! Was too busy last night to try boiling the old mask. Simply wiped with an unscented pampers wipe again last night. Had a great night with AHI of 0.2, median leak of 0, 95% leak of 0, and max leak of 4! Still some good use left in the mask! I have a high deductible insurance so any cpap supplies are on me this year. Last year, I had a couple surgeries so the sleep study, S9, humidifier, supplies, and extra cushion were on the insurance company... I'm planning to buy a spare mask so I have parts available and probably one or two more cushions this year. Thanks again!