Tag Archives: sleep labs

SomnoMed Appoints New President

Somnomed Ltd appoints new head for North American Region

SomnoMed announced the appointment of Kien T. Nguyen as President for SomnoMed Inc., the US subsidiary of SomnoMed Limited.

Kien has a lifelong career in the healthcare industry, working for leading companies such as Stryker Corporation, Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI) and various medical device divisions of Johnson & Johnson. Most recently, he was Vice President and General Manager of OtisMed, a business unit of Stryker Orthopaedics, a division of the $8 billion Stryker Corporation. At KCI, he fulfilled various functional Vice President positions, including Global Portfolio Management, Global Research & Ideation, and Global Marketing of the Active Healing Solutions division, with revenues responsibilities of $1.4 billion. Most of his earlier career was spent with Ethicon, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, where he held roles in product development, product marketing, clinical sales and finally as Worldwide Marketing Director for the biosurgical business unit within Johnson & Johnson Wound Management.

SomnoMed is a public company providing diagnostic and treatment solutions for Sleep-related Breathing Disorders including obstructive sleep apnea, snoring and bruxism. SomnoMed was commercialized on the basis of extensive clinical research. Supporting independent clinical research, continuous innovation and instituting medical manufacturing standards has resulted in SomnoDent® becoming the state-of-the-art and clinically proven medical oral appliance therapy for obstructive sleep apnea. SomnoDent® is the most comfortable and effective design and treatment solution for over 100,000 patients in 22 countries. For additional information, visit SomnoMed at http://www.somnomed.com.

Read Full Annoucement

Related posts:

  1. SomnoMed to Pass 100,000 Sleep Apnea Patient Milestone
  2. SomnoMed racks highest sales of SomnoDent® devices to date
  3. SomnoMed Registered to Provide United States Military SomnoDent Therapy

The post SomnoMed Appoints New President appeared first on Sleep Diagnosis and Therapy.

Brand Takes Center Stage – Sleep Solutions Becomes NovaSom

slepp1 Brand Takes Center Stage   Sleep Solutions Becomes NovaSom may have changed its name to NovaSom and moved the company from California to Delaware, but the company’s intense focus remains the same.

More than a year after taking the reins at the largest national service provider of tests, Richard Hassett, MD, believes the time is ripe for a change. Specifically, the CEO of Sleep Solutions has decided to switch the company’s name to NovaSom®, a move designed to build on the familiar testing brand.

Changing a well-known moniker is no small decision, but Hassett believes the new name better reflects the company’s commitment to providing accurate and cost effective home tests. Factoring in some annoying name similarities to competitors and the change became a no-brainer. “Other entities had the name ‘Sleep Solutions’ as some part of their name, and that could potentially be confusing,” says Hassett. “If we were ever going to make a change, now was the time. At the same time, we reincorporated the company from California to Delaware.”

Recent years have seen a steady climb for the NovaSom® brand in its role as a full-service model for home sleep testing. The actual unit is a small device used in the home and typically shipped to patients via overnight carrier. After that, it is returned to the company when the patient completes testing, ideally for three nights. Upon return of the device the data are downloaded and the results are interpreted by a qualified or board-certified sleep physician. Results are provided to the prescribing physician within 48 hours.

The NovaSom Home Sleep Test is a Type III portable cardio-respiratory monitor with FDA clearance for of adults with possible . Predictive accuracy of the test, night for night, has been established in two peer-reviewed publications comparing the device to PSG.¹,²

Three sensors record the same five physiological parameters that use to diagnose OSA: , , heart rate, airflow (oral & nasal), and snoring. The first sensor is a belt that goes around the chest to determine respiratory excursions. The second is an oxygen sensor on the finger, and finally a sensor beneath the nose detects the snoring sound and air flow. This acoustic airflow sensor is a patented device utilizing noise cancellation technology, which has demonstrated a highly linear relationship to the Hans Rudolph pneumotachograph – a standard of airflow measurement used by pulmonologists.

Clinicians appreciate the unit’s capacity to store data for three nights, and users benefit from the device’s ability to literally speak via mechanical voice. “Similarly to a GPS, the NovaSom device talks patients through the procedure,” explains Hassett. “Even if patients have not had access to the Web site or seen the instruction materials that come with the test, the device will actually talk them through the set up and operation.” The company also provides technical and clinical services 24⁄7 by credentialed sleep technologist.

The consumer friendly nature of the test can mean the difference between diagnosis and failure. After all, says Hassett, potential patients often shy away from sleep labs, preferring the comfort and privacy of their own home. Factor in NovaSom’s lower price and it all points to more patients with proper diagnoses.

“Clinicians are starting to realize that we have a massive public health epidemic on our hands with OSA, and the community can’t handle all the patients,” says Hassett. “The fact that the device has the capacity for three nights of data eliminates the high false negative rate which is a problem with any one-night test, whether it is home or lab based. This turns out to be an advantage for providers and patients.”

Hassett and NovaSom’s customers believe the secret lies in the product’s ability to overcome the inevitable night-to-night variability that can hamper sleep testing results. “It’s been known for a long time that there was a burden of false negatives with one-night tests, perhaps even more so with labs than at home because of how daunting, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable it is to achieve natural sleep in the lab environment,” says Hassett. “With the 3-night test, we pick up a significant number of patients after the first night that would have been missed. With the high false negatives after one night tests, it just makes more sense.”

Provider education teams from NovaSom are dedicating time and energy to increasing awareness among (PCPs), ENTs, and pulmonologists. Since there are so many more PCPs out there, they have so far naturally benefitted a bit more from these educational efforts.

Particularly for uncomplicated patients at the primary level, PCPs are the main portal for a variety of patients with many different apnea severities. “We read statistics that say 7 out of 8 people with OSA are undiagnosed and unaware,” says Hassett. “Most providers in America do not have the level of vigilance for this condition that its public health implications would warrant.”

By now the statistics are familiar, but no less staggering. The costs and co-morbidities seem to multiply every year, and Hassett believes medical research will continue to confirm these findings. “We provide the resources that primary care physicians need to identify people at risk for OSA and determine appropriate candidates for both in-home and laboratory tests,” says Hassett. “We have a field-based medical education force and have made significant investments in CME and non-CME educational programs, aimed at primary care.”

The NovaSom home sleep test is offered as a turnkey service. There is no capital investment required of physicians. NovaSom provides rigorous infection controls, biomedical inspection, testing and calibration for each device in between patient uses, ensuring that every test sent to a patient will function accurately. Physicians view detailed study results through the online MediTrack® system.

“NovaSom has a large client care team and offers live clinical/technical support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to patients undergoing the home sleep test,” adds Roger Richardson, vice president, Operations, for NovaSom. “We try to make testing as easy as possible, and are committed to raising consumer awareness of OSA through http://www.apnea.com.”

NovaSom, Inc. is fully accredited by The Joint Commission‘s Ambulatory Care Program, is a Medicare-approved Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (IDTF), and is registered with the .

References

  1. Claman D, et al; Otolaryng Head Neck Surg 2001; 125: 227–230.
  2. Reichert JA, et al; Sleep Med 2003; 4: 213–218.

Richard Hassett, MD CEO NovaSom, Inc. http://www.novasom.com.

ScreenShot070 Brand Takes Center Stage   Sleep Solutions Becomes NovaSom

Introducting the new BW II PSG

Image145 Introducting the new BW II PSGSmall Company, Big Impact

In the fiercely competitive world of sleep, USA—also known as —relies on nimble responses and easy financing to build a growing customer base.

Swimming freely in a sea of sharks is no easy task, but , co-founder of Florida-based Neurovirtual USA, Inc. has gotten used to it after more than a decade. Despite an environment filled with well-financed competitors, his company’s Sleepvirtual BWII PSG technology continues to do well in its role as a PSG machine that allows users to record and score sleep studies.

The product is composed of a hardware piece and a software program that can be used with PC computers that run Windows XP, Vista, or W7. Both trace and scoring capabilities are relied upon by users such as Jonathan Davidson, MD, owner of Advanced , who says the unit’s portability (under 10 pounds) and accompanying service make a potent combination.

knows that customers appreciate the BWII’s price and value, but it’s the technical support and financing, he says, that seals the deal. “We finance all of our customers internally, so they do not need to resort to third party financing to purchase our equipment,” says . “We offer three paths to obtaining our equipment: renting; lease to own; and purchase. Each of those offers price conscious purchasers a way to equip their without breaking the bank.”

As a owner for the past decade, Davidson particularly appreciates that Neurovirtual offers free, lifetime technical support all day, every day, for as long as he owns the equipment. And when he needs someone to talk with, he can always find someone—not always an easy task with the so-called big guys. “We have had problems with the reps at major companies,” says Davidson, who runs three in Stockton, Sacramento, and Modesto. “At other manufacturers, reps get fired and they can’t replace them. Neurovirtual is smaller, and more interested in giving you personal service. Acquisition of data is easy, validation is easy, and the way the hardware is designed makes it simple to work with. The electrode box is light, and it’s a fraction of the size of its competitors.”

Davidson heard about Neurovirtual through a colleague. He eventually called the company and received a 1-month trial product. He ordered two for his Stockton lab, replaced four machines in Modesto, and by the time he outfitted his Sacramento facility, he had a dozen machines—all of which are subject to free upgrades.

All about Mindset

Faria believes in the old axiom that if you don’t take care of your customers, someone else will. He likes the idea of being a relatively small and nimble company and, when it comes to financing, his philosophy is one that cash-strapped labs can embrace. “Let’s say you are going to buy three beds and it is going to be a $50,000 to $60,000 purchase, and you are probably going to a bank or to the manufacturers,” says Faria. “When you go to finance, it takes about a month just to get approved. They are going to ask for your statements and want to see your tax return, and it takes forever. We do internal financing, and so far we haven’t turned any customers down. We have processes in place, and that’s our trade secret.

“We are also the only company that offers lifetime technical support,” continues Faria. “That means that as long as they own our equipment, we are going to get their call and we are going to help them address their problem. We are the only company that offers free lifetime software upgrades.”

Faria contends that a lot of large companies can’t offer comparable service because of the inherent pressures of running a publicly traded company (Neurovirtual is private). “The pressures of Wall Street force these companies to show profits and the objectives are very short term,” says Faria. “When you look to us, you look to a company that has a mission to universalize sleep medicine. Yes, we have a mission in mind that we want to be big, we want to be everywhere in the world, and we want to make a difference in this world.”

ScreenShot062 Introducting the new BW II PSGWith the growth he expects, Faria admits that the inevitable challenge will be to maintain the services of a small company. By maintaining the private status of the company, he believes it can be done. “We don’t have the same pressure to impress shareholders, so our objective is to really satisfy each of our customers and expand and gain market share,” says Faria. “We are not in this fight just for the profit. We are here to make a difference. We are a for-profit business, but we are not under severe pressure from Wall Street for profits and results.”

For sleep technicians, Faria says the bottom line is the proverbial bottom line. And contributing to the bottom line is easier when systems simplify daily tasks and make technicians more effective. “You become a more productive worker and can take on more tasks in the same amount of time than you could before,” explains Faria. “Ultimately, you can see a boost in your wages and an increase in your sleep lab bottom line.”

The BWII PSG offers several different features:

Score on the run which allows users to split the screen during the acquisition and start scoring the same study you are recording. A sleep statistic window automatically gives updates on the AHI and other parameters in real-time.

All necessary menus recording a PSG on the same screen.

Montages, filters, sensitivity, and speed of the page adjustments with a mouse click or keyboard shortcuts.

One exam for one file for ease of transferring, copying, and e-mailing (HIPPA Compliant).

Exclusive technology allows users to have the system working anywhere when the team moves around to different locations. The system can be used for acquisition in one location, be scored somewhere else, and interpreted by the physician in a third place—and archived in a completely different location.

Free unlimited scoring and review software that can be installed on as many different computers as needed. For more information, visit http://www.sleepvirtual.com

SleepView: The Smallest, Lightest, Type III Sleep Monitor

Imagess2 SleepView: The Smallest, Lightest, Type III Sleep MonitorThe ultra light type 3 home sleep monitor from is designed to be simple for patients, and cost effective for .

Just shy of a year on the market, the SleepView from CleveMed has managed to carve a growing niche in the highly competitive world of home sleep monitoring. Sarah Weimer, director of at the Cleveland-based manufacturer, touts the device as the smallest and lightest home sleep monitor within the AASM-recommended Type 3 channel-set guidelines.

At a weight of approximately 2 ounces, the equipment is ergonomically designed for patients to perform a self test at home, while also working hand in hand with CleveMed’s PSG Web Portal.

The eCrystal PSG web service is offered at three different service tiers to meet the needs of various customers. We offer a full service with use of our eCrystal PSG web portal, scoring and interpretation for customer who are not affiliated with a sleep center. Our mid tier service includes use of eCrystal PSG and scoring. With this service a registered sleep technologist verifies the scoring and creates a draft of the report to be completed by a sleep physician. We also offer web portal use only. This service is used by centers that have personal for scoring and interpretation but wish to take advantage of easy web access to the data. Sleep studies can be uploaded from the point of patient care.

Easy for Patients

While approved home sleep testing last year, reimbursement still stands at just over $200. At that rate, Weimer points out that it is not cost effective for sleep labs, especially if sleep professionals must be involved with the setup every step of the way. “With that in mind, the goal with the SleepView was to make a device that fulfilled the channel set asked for by AASM, with the types of sensors that they like to see as well,” says Weimer. “At the same time, we wanted it to be very easy for patients to do a self hook up with minimal instruction.”

Clevemed was uniquely suited to do an incredibly small due to the company’s long history of producing wireless monitors. Working within the diminutive design parameters, engineers sought to avoid the more complex harness systems used by competitors. “We wanted it to be small and light enough that it could be supported by a traditional respiratory effort belt,” reveals Weimer. “It is easier for patients to hook themselves up. They don’t have to worry about extra mounting straps or the discomfort of having the device worn elsewhere on the body.”

Not surprisingly, patients appreciate how easy it is to put on the SleepView. For patients who think it may be too easy and question the procedure, engineers went an additional step with LED light indicators on the front that let patients know if they have hooked themselves up properly. “If they turn the device on, but they don’t have sensors on, there is a little light on the front of the device by each channel name that will light up red to let them know that they are not hooked up properly,” explains Weimer. “As they get each channel hooked up correctly, those lights will turn green to indicate that it is collecting a good signal. When the patient first turns the device on, those lights will stay on for 90 seconds, and then anytime during the night the patient can hit the ‘on’ button again to get another 30 seconds of feedback about whether the device is collecting good signals or not.”

Image3 SleepView: The Smallest, Lightest, Type III Sleep MonitorFeedback on usability and success rates tabulated from sponsored tests have consistently shown that patients come back with valid data. “Other customers have been using our other product, the , which is a little bit more traditional and a little bit more complicated for the patient to put on,” says Weimer. “It [the Scout] does not have the feedback, and we would have an increased number of unsuccessful studies with that product compared to this product. The immediate patient feedback on the SleepView lets patients know that they may not have a sensor in place properly, and they can fix it right away.”

Expanding the Market

Weimer agrees that the SleepView, and home testing in general, will likely expand the market for sleep labs by increasing access and awareness to potential patients. The undiagnosed masses will get into the treatment cycle, benefitting all parties throughout the continuum of care.

As more clinicians learn about the importance of sleep, referrals will also increase the flow of patients. “Patients are typically seeing their dentists or , and if those health care professionals are asking the right questions about sleep, it is just going to increase the number of people who are aware and getting tested,” says Weimer.

SleepView at a Glance

Hardware Dimensions: 3” × 2.6” × 0.7” (7.6 cm × 6.6 cm × 1.8 cm) Weight: 2 oz (57 g) (approx.) with batteries Power: 1 AAA battery Memory: 1G internal memory

7 Dedicated Channels

  1. Heart Rate
  2. Pulse Oximetry
  3. Airflow (pressure based)
  4. Airflow (thermistor)
  5. Snore (derived from airflow)
  6. Respiratory Effort Belt (RIP)
  7. Body Position

Software

SleepView works with the eCrystal PSG Web Portal, allowing treating physicians to initiate home sleep tests directly from their practices. Data from the SleepView is uploaded through the web portal to a network of professional technologists and for timely scoring and study interpretation.

Later reports with recommended treatment or follow-up are retrieved by the treating physician. This patient monitoring system allows physicians to provide a continuum of care.

For more information, visit http://www.clevemed.com

Positional Apnea in a 73-Year Old Male with Atrial Fibrillation

This is the case of a 73-year old male who was diagnosed by the local heart institute with atrial fibrillation. The patient was under outpatient care of both a cardiologist and family doctor. Bedpartner interview did not report a history of snor- ing nor any history of breathing difficulties during the night. However, the patient reported awakening nightly around 0300 to 0400 with the inability to return to sleep because of height- ened arousal. The patient underwent a procedure at the heart in- stitute which induced normal cardiac sinus rhythm, but atrial fibrillation returned within two weeks. The patient is currently taking Coumadine (warfarin). Based on this history, and the known association between obstructive sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation,1 the patient agreed to a simple home sleep apnea screening test using the MediByte Jr.

Home Sleep Screening
The MediByte Jr. is an easy-to-use Type 3 home sleep apnea recorder which complies with new guidelines by using the same technology in the comfort and convenience of the home as is used in sleep laboratories worldwide. The MediByte Jr. records blood oxygenation and pulse rate using transmission SpO2, oro- nasal airflow via internal pressure transducer, snoring vibrations from airflow, thoracic respiratory effort using RIP technology, and importantly, body position. The raw data is fully disclosed, identical to that recorded in , and there is no data processing using proprietary black-box algorithms. The device is capable of recording for one nine-hour night or two consecutive nine-hour nights. Cost per study is approximately seven dollars and published data have found high sensitivity, specificity and correlations of 0.92 between the MediByte and PSG.2

A registered polysomnographic technologist (RPSGT) spent approximately seven minutes instructing the patient in how to apply the MediByte Jr recorder and biosensors. All home sleep apnea data was scored by an RPSGT using scoring guidelines published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.3 Total recording time for the baseline night was six hours and 45 minutes. Contrary to subjective reports, the patient had severe obstructive apneas and hypopneas while supine, but was within normal limits during nonsupine sleep. The supine respiratory disturbance index (RDI) was 45.5 and the nonsupine RDI was 1.5 (see Figure 1). The patient slept 49.2% of the night sleeping on his back. Although time between 90% to 100% SpO2 was 99.9% of the entire night, there were 112 SpO2 desaturations of ␣ 4%. The results of the study were explained to the patient and also provided to both the family doctor and cardiologist. Treatment options were discussed with the patient. The patient had no desire to use CPAP therapy and opted to initially attempt positional treatment.

Fig 1CS1 Positional Apnea in a 73 Year Old Male with Atrial Fibrillation

Positional Therapy
Positional therapy involved sewing two street hockey balls (cost about three dollars) into the back of a shirt. Positive feedback about treatment was received from the patient during a follow-up phone call 72-hours post baseline recording. The patient reported he was now sleeping through the night awakening at 0600 rather than during the middle of night. A subsequent home sleep apnea recording with treatment was performed approxi- mately three weeks after the baseline test. It was originally hoped that the positional treatment would reduce the RDI to a mild or moderate level, at which point therapy could be combined with oral appliance treatment (the patient was adamantly opposed to CPAP therapy). However, the results of treatment were striking in their effectiveness and are shown in Figure 2. Total recording time was six hours and 19 minutes. The supine respiratory disturbance index (RDI) dropped to 0.0 (from a baseline of 45.5) with the patient spending 0% of the night sleeping on his back. Total nonsupine RDI was 4.0 which was within normal limits. Time between 90% to 100% SpO2 was 100% of the entire night, but more importantly the number of SpO2 desaturations of ␣ 4% plummeted to one (from a baseline of 112). The patient reported better sleep, increased energy, and overall satisfaction with treatment. Additional follow-up recordings will be performed to monitor continued treatment success.

Fig 2CS Positional Apnea in a 73 Year Old Male with Atrial Fibrillation

Successful Outcomes
This case study illustrates the cost-effective approach to successful home sleep apnea screening. It also shows the vital importance of recording body position and how subjective reports may be qualified using objective, empirical data. Home diagnosis and monitoring of` sleep apnea is a valid tool which should be used with a suitable patient population to extend sleep medicine practice into the community. The successful outcomes associated with positional therapy are not surprising, and are consistent with a recent study which concluded “positional therapy is equivalent to CPAP at normalizing the AHI in patients with positional OSA, with similar effects on sleep quality and nocturnal oxygenation.”4


Richard A. Bonato, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CEO, Corporation, Kanata, Ontario,
Learn about MediByte Jr. at www.braebon.com

References

1. Somers VK, White DP, Amin R, Abraham WT, Costa F, Culebras A, Daniels S, Floras JS, Hunt CE, Olson LJ, Pickering TG, Russell R, Woo M, Young T. Sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease: an American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation scientific statement. Circulation. 2008; 118:1080 –1111.
2. Driver, HS, Bjerring KA, Toop F, Pereira E, Stewart SC, Munt P, Fitzpatrick MF. Evaluation of a Portable Monitor Compared with Polysomnography for the Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Poster presentation at Sleep 2009: Seattle.
3. Iber, C, Ancoli-Israel, S, Chesson, A, Quan, SF. The Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events: Rules, Terminology, and Technical Specification, 1st ed, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Westchester, Illinois 2007.
4. Permut, I, Diaz-Abad, M, Chatila, W, Crocetti, J, Gaughan, J, D’Alonzo, G, Krachman, S. Comparison of Positional Therapy to CPAP in Patients with Positional Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2010; 6: 238–243.

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CPAP Tubes – Hybernite (the Unsung Heroes)

Flashy CPAP units and masks dominate the sleep technology landscape, but the right tubes can mean the difference between compliance and failure.

Manufacturers are always looking to build a better mousetrap, but what if the trap already works? The solution may lie in improving the parts while leaving the fundamental design essentially unchanged. Plastiflex engineers and market experts examined the sleep technology market and determined that their expertise in industrial tubing systems could bolster the all-too-common weaknesses found in CPAP systems

Visit the Hybernite.com website

A New Solution for CPAP Tubing
After an exhaustive fact-finding period that took company officials to numerous trade shows and visits with industry leaders, designers narrowed down CPAP tubing complaints to condensation and comfort. According to Rik Langerock, marketing manager for Plastiflex Healthcare, condensation in the breathing circuits was a persistent problem, and a key area where his Belgium-based company could make a difference.

“We spoke to many different people in the supply and value chain and it was condensation in the respiratory tubes that we found to be significant,” says Langerock. “A second related need was about bringing more comfortable air to the patient.”

Comfort usually means warmer and/or more humid air, and this is where Plastiflex is able to use its considerable expertise. Other factors such as mask materials and proper fit play a role, but Langerock and his team were determined to only tackle what they knew best. “You must understand what matches with your core competency as a company,” says Langerock. “Our core competence is in the design and manufacturing of hose systems solutions.”

® Rainout Control (ROC) System
Plastiflex engineers ultimately came up with the ® Rainout Control (ROC) System, which includes the proprietary ® Heated Breathing Tube (HBT) and ® Power Supply Unit (PSU). The HBT connects to the PSU via a plug and-play connector, with copper wires embedded in the tubing wall. These wires generate heat that maintains air temperature inside the tube, ultimately warding off problematic condensation. The wires are positioned for uniform heating along the tube’s entire length, a system that avoids water droplets on the wall of the tube and the resulting accumulation of moisture.

Targeting America and Europe is no small endeavor, but Langerock says the relative simplicity of the message will likely resonate on both continents. The ® ROC consists essentially of two main parts; one is a heated breathing tube and the other is a power supply. With standard conical connectors, Langerock is confident that the ® ROC can fit the role of a universal solution that can be fully integrated into any humidifier— including all types of masks that use standard tubes. “We have been working on this for a long time obtaining all the regulatory approvals,” says Langerock. “Plastiflex Healthcare is ISO 13485 and QSR certified, as are our manufacturing locations. This makes us a Tubing System Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) with the ability to sell tubing systems under our own brand like or work closely with other manufacturers for customized products.”

Langerock reiterates that the ® ROC is a universal heated breathing tube system. “It is also stand alone,” adds Langerock. “The system itself does not take power or require power to be taken from the humidifier. It takes the energy straight out of the socket in the wall via the PSU. A second important feature is that the system is independent. It is not specific to one type of device. It works with all humidifiers that currently use standard tubing. As long as you are using standard tubing, which is 99% of the market, all those devices can also work with the .”

Hybernite Tubing Tubes   The Unsung Heroes

Hidden Benefits
Tubes are not often the focus of large marketing pushes, but extolling the virtues of proper accessories is a message that Plastiflex officials hope will find a home. At its core, Langerock believes that increasingly sophisticated clinicians, and even patients, will demand the best products for their therapy. “These tubes will improve the comfort of the patient,” says Langerock. “You will have no more condensation in the tube, no more gurgling noises, and far less pressure fluctuations.”

Avoiding condensation means users can optimize the humidity output of humidifiers for better personal comfort and improved clinical efficacy. “The result of not having condensation is being able to turn up your humidifier instead of turning it down,” explains Langerock. “Another factor for the patient is the convenience and ease of use. The industry also knows that there are factors that will contribute to better compliance, and humidification is an important contributor.”

For , the convenience of so-called plug and play fosters a universal solution for the heated breathing tube. Sleep centers may even be interested in conducting their titrations in combination with heated humidification and a heated tube. “There is literature that says that heated humidification in combination with heated tubing lowers titration pressure *,” adds Langerock. “So, from that perspective, our tubes give sleep technicians an opportunity to do more titrations with humidification.”

 

 

 

 

*Massengill, J. and Lewis K.L.Effect of humidification and titration pressures on obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep. Volume 32, Abstract Supplement, 2009 A217

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Plastiflex Healthcare is a division of Plastiflex Group NV. Plastiflex Group is the world leader in the development and manufacturing of flexible hose system solutions for floor care, pool, white goods and industrial applications. Plastiflex Group has 9 manufacturing locations – 3 in Europe – 3 in Asia/Pacific – 3 in North America. Plastiflex Healthcare is a new venture within Plastiflex and focuses on identifying, developing and marketing new products and technologies in the area of respiratory care, particularly sleep disorders, Non Intrusive Ventilation (NIV) and critical care ventilation. Plastiflex Healthcare is QSR compliant, ISO 13485 and Annex II – Directive 93/42/EEC (design controls) certified.

 

 

Click here to view how the Hybernite works!

 

 

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