CPAP/BiPAP/Ventilator Recall

[cintinative]

I just learned about this today so I thought I would post in case anyone else hadn't heard.

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/certain-philips-respironics-ventilators-bipap-and-cpap-machines-recalled-due-potential-health-risks

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is alerting people who use Philips Respironics ventilators, BiPAP, and CPAP machines and their health care providers that Philips Respironics has recalled certain devices (see table below) due to potential health risks. The polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) sound abatement foam, which is used to reduce sound and vibration in these affected devices, may break down and potentially enter the device’s air pathway. If this occurs, black debris from the foam or certain chemicals released into the device’s air pathway may be inhaled or swallowed by the person using the device.

[Terabith]

Yeah, I heard from someone though that to get ventilators changed out for their kids, it required a PICU stay, and with covid, it's safer to keep a device putting carcinogens into their lungs rather than go into the hospital.  

Covid sucks.

[Drama Llama]

This is the ventilator my child depended on to live at home.

Part of the issue is that the disposable parts for ventilators, such a circuits and filters have been rationed since the beginning of the pandemic.  Families are washing and reusing parts that are supposed to be disposable, and stretching the time they use filters, the filters that would protect vulnerable lungs from this, long past the point they are supposed to be changed.  

When people say that healthcare wasn’t rationed due to covid, they aren’t thinking about kids like mine.  

[Spy Car]

I'm reading that using ozone based cleaning systems (like So Clean) which have never been recommended by CPAP manufacturers is being linked (at least as a cofactor) in some of the foam breakdown.

Avoid these.

Bill