CPAP News Letter - Issue: 12

This year holds the promise of many new and exciting product releases! Respironics dominates the current news and their newly released products are discussed below. We are currently sworn to secrecy concerning many pending releases. As we receive permission to publish product information, we will do so in future issues of this newsletter as well as on the product pages of our websites. What we can say is that machine trends point toward integrated humidification and smaller, lighter, easy to breathe on machines. Many of these will record and display sleep disorder breathing events for the users review. Interfaces (masks, prongs, and nasal pillows) are still recognized as the source of most patient’s discontent. The two new inferface systems listed below will make a lot of patients happy. Two more systems are scheduled for release later this year.

Respironics has also made changes to some of it's previously released masks. The ComfortGel has stronger ball sockets. The ComfortFull and Comfort Select have improved forehead assembly adjustability.

Respironics has just released the ComfortLite, an innovative, new interface system that allows most users a very good to excellent fit. The ComfortLite Combo includes two masks and two nasal seal systems. We are impressed with this product. We found the masks to be comfortable and to seal well on a very wide range of difficult to fit CPAP patients. The nasal seals were a pleasant surprise. They do not go up into the nares. They seal very well at the end of the nose. The headgear looks like a complex contraption when first viewed. Do not be put off by it. Once set for a specific user, it is extremely easy to put on and take off, with either the mask or nasal seal option. It is stable, adjustable, and comfortable. More information is available at:

http://www.cpap.com/productpage.php?PNum=1095

Since the inception of sleep apnea treatment, sleep disorder chinstraps have been a glaring source of complaint. To ensure compliance, many patients must use a chinstrap to keep their mouths closed during CPAP use. Existing chinstrap problems include insufficient length to fit larger patients, sliding off during the night or not staying in position to work at all, skin irritation, heat buildup, and ear smashing. They have even been accused of increasing apneas by moving the lower jaw back into the airway during use. Respironics has made a new one called the Premium Chin strap that addresses these problems. More information is available at:

http://www.cpap.com/productpage.php?PNum=1002

New surgical techniques developed in Taiwan are very invasive but may have better outcomes than traditional UPPP surgeries for sleep apnea. The link is:

http://drkoop.com/template.asp?page=newsdetail&ap=93&id=517459

Restore Medical has requested approval to use their “Pillar System” to treat sleep apnea. The system is currently approved to treat snoring. Three Pillar™ inserts are embedded in the soft palate in order to stiffen the palate tissue and reduce the vibration that causes palatal snoring. The Pillar™ procedure is performed in one brief physician’s office visit and is designed to produce a lasting effect without removing or damaging tissue. For the article please visit:

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040318/cgth064_1.html

Specific product information is available at:

http://www.restoremedical.com/products_pillar.html

Sleep disorder sufferers who are treating their disorder but are still tired may benefit from the use of a new drug. The FDA just approved the first medication, ProVigil, to improve wakefulness in patients. ProVigil is for people who suffer from excessive sleepiness because of either obstructive sleep apnea and shift work disorder. See an article at:

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1695682&nav=0RaPLNEJ

Legal battles over patent rights have moved the home of the Spiritus Nasal Prong System from Viaysis to Worldwide Medical Technologies, Inc. Regardless, Worldwide has released the Spiritus Elite. It has built in swivels which allow the nasal prongs to move as the user moves to minimize forces applied to the users nose. This simple change is the single difference between the original Spiritus and the Spiritus Elite. This change does result in improved performance compared to the original. For more information please visit:

http://cpap.com/productpage.php?PNum=1137

Respironics has released the BiPAP Pro 2 and BiPAP Plus. These products will replace the BiPAP Pro and Tranquility Bilevel respectfully. Similar in appearance, these new machines fit inside the popular Remstar CPAP housings. Each works with the Remstar integrated heated humidifier, making for a small, portable package. Both units automatically adjust for altitude changes and offer DC voltage operation. The Remstar Pro 2 records snoring as well as apneas/hypopnea events. These can be accessed using Encore Pro software. Additionally, the BiPAP Pro 2 has the Biflex therapy feature, made popular by the BiPAP Pro. Biflex establishes a level of pressure relief taking place at the end of inhalation and at the start of exhalation. For more information about the BiPAP Pro 2 you may visit:

http://www.cpap.com/productpage.php?PNum=1096

For more information on the Plus please visit:

http://www.cpap.com/productpage.php?PNum=1097

The newest version (1.4) of Respironics Encore Pro Software is due out any day now. It adds the functionality to allow the user to view snoring and apneas/hypopnea events for the new BiPAP and future machines. If you have the Encore Pro version 1.3 installed on your computer you can upgrade to the new 1.4 version for free by visiting:

http://software.respironics.com/cgi-bin/SoftwareUpdates.cgi