What kind of devices provide oxygen? There are several types of oxygen devices. The type of device you are given will depend on where you live and on the purpose of your oxygen. Oxygen can be delivered by three types of devices: oxygen concentrator, liquid system or oxygen in a metal cylinder. What are oxygen concentrators? A concentrator draws in air from the room/environment (which contains 21% oxygen) and passes the air through a special filter collecting only the oxygen into a reservoir. When the machine is turned on, this process of collection takes place. The reservoir and the concentrator have limited storage, so virtually all the oxygen saved is released into the oxygen tubing for delivery to the patient. The concentration of oxygen delivered by a concentrator is 90-95%. The concentrator is run by electricity. The concentrator weighs about 50 pounds (23 kg) and is usually on wheels so that it can be easily moved in the home from room to room. The machine should be located where there is good circulation and away from furniture and walls. There is a compressor inside the machine that makes a regular noise that can be distracting to some. The device is not intended to be portable; however, recently, a new type of concentrator has been developed that makes it possible to fill portable cylinders from a concentrator. Also in development is a concentrator that weighs less than 10 pounds (5 kg) and runs off of a battery. What maintenance do oxygen concentrators require? Concentrators have an air inlet and a filter in front of the air inlet. Make sure that the air inlet is not covered and that it allows fresh air into the concentrator. This filter should be washed once a week in dishwasher detergent. After washing it should be thoroughly rinsed and completely dried before re-inserting. The instruction manual will outline how many filters your concentrator has and how often each of these should be changed. Your concentrator should be serviced after approximately 10,000 hours of use or annually. At that time it should be checked to assure that it is producing the right amount of oxygen. Improper maintenance may result in low concentrations of oxygen being delivered. What is liquid oxygen? Liquid oxygen is oxygen that is cooled to -183° C (-297°F), at which point it becomes a liquid. When in liquid form, the oxygen takes up much less room and can be stored in specially designed containers. The concentration of oxygen delivered from liquid oxygen is 100%. Most hospitals use oxygen in liquid form. The gas molecules in the container are in constant movement, allowing for the liquid to slowly turn into a gaseous form. This results in a build up of pressure in the container, which is either delivered to the patient or released by a ventilation valve. Liquid oxygen is stored in the home in large storage reservoirs. The patient uses a smaller tank to fill for portability. You will need to be instructed on how to fill the smaller tank from the larger storage tank. Your oxygen delivery service will routinely fill the larger tank, every 1-2 weeks, depending on the flow rate you use. What maintenance do liquid oxygen devices require? The stationary tank should be placed on a level surface so there is minimal chance of the tank tipping. Little maintenance is required. If a bottle is attached to the tank for collecting condensed water, it must be emptied and cleaned regularly. The outside of the tank can be cleaned with a damp cloth when necessary. In addition to instructions for transferring the oxygen from the large tank to the smaller tank, instruction should be received in what should be done if any part of the system should freeze. What are oxygen cylinders? This is the oldest method for delivering oxygen. Oxygen is compressed into a steel cylinder under high pressure, often a pressure of about 200 atmospheres. Like liquid oxygen, the concentration of oxygen delivered from cylinders is 100%. Oxygen is stored in large or small cylinders. Large cylinders are very heavy and have to be changed often as the contents are quickly used. Smaller cylinders are therefore emptied more quickly than larger cylinders, but are portable. Smaller aluminum cylinders are also available for portability. When using oxygen-sparing tubes or oxygen-conserving devices, these small cylinders can last for up to 8 hours. The small cylinders are usually used for portability when an oxygen concentrator is the main source of oxygen in the home. What maintenance do oxygen cylinders require? The pressure valves must be checked frequently. When the cylinders are empty, the regulator must be removed and placed on a full cylinder. What about hoses or tubes attached to the oxygen device? The main tubing attached to the different systems can be up to 15 meters/50 feet long to allow for mobility. The length of the tubing should only be as long as necessary in order to be mobile, for example long enough to get from one end of the house to the other. Having excess tubing may become a hazard to yourself and others. Long tubing also increases chances of knotting and cutting off the flow of oxygen. The tubes should be changed every 6-12 months. The tubing must be the right dimension. The inner diameter should be at least 5 mm to ensure the resistance is minimal. What is a nasal cannula? A nasal cannula is a dual-pronged tube attached to the oxygen device for delivering oxygen through the nose. These tubes come in different sizes and lengths. Make sure that the one you have fits you well. The typical length of the tubing is about 2 meters (6 feet). The nasal cannula should be changed approximately once a month due to the plastic nasal cannula becoming hard and stiff. The part of the cannula that is situated in the nose may be washed and the rest of the cannula may be wiped with a damp cloth. What are oxygen sparing/conserving devices? Oxygen-sparing/conserving devices are devices used to reduce the amount of oxygen needed from the oxygen source (liquid, concentrator or cylinder). These devices improve the efficiency of the delivery of oxygen, reducing the amount of oxygen that is used. This is accomplished by increasing the flow of oxygen on inhalation and limiting the flow of oxygen on exhalation. By increasing the delivery of oxygen when you breathe in, and reducing or stopping the delivery when you are breathing out, less of the oxygen is wasted. This makes it possible to use smaller and lighter ambulatory systems or standard systems. In addition, the delivery systems (liquid or cylinders) last longer. There are three types of oxygen-sparing/conserving devices: the on-demand device, reservoir cannula and transtracheal oxygen. What is an on-demand device? On-demand oxygen delivery devices deliver a small amount of oxygen, usually when you begin to take a breath in through your nose. The delivery device is connected to the oxygen source by the nasal cannula. The device senses the start of inhalation (through the nasal cannula) and immediately gives a short pulse of oxygen. Nose congestion and mouth breathing may make it hard for the delivery device to sense inhalation. If the level of inspiration through the nose is very low, no oxygen may be delivered. Some types of devices have an alarm that goes off if no breathing activity is detected. Most of the on-demand devices are battery driven and the batteries need to be replaced every couple of weeks. What are reservoir cannulas? A reservoir cannula operates by storing oxygen in a small chamber. Storage of oxygen takes place while you are breathing out. This stored oxygen is available when you breathe in. This may allow you to require lower oxygen flow rates while still receiving the same amount of oxygen. There are two types of reservoir devices, the Oxymizer and the Pendant Oxymizer. The differences in the two devices are the location where the storage chamber is located. What is transtracheal oxygen? Transtracheal oxygen is oxygen delivered through a catheter placed directly through the neck into the trachea (windpipe). Delivery of oxygen directly into the trachea provides higher amounts of oxygen to be delivered because little is wasted. Flow rates of oxygen can often be reduced by close to 50% at rest and 30% during exercise, as compared with oxygen delivered via a standard nasal cannula. A cosmetic advantage of transtracheal oxygen therapy is that the tubing is not as visible as with standard devices. Not everyone is a candidate for transtracheal oxygen delivery (TTOD). Candidates must be evaluated, educated and monitored by a trained team of healthcare providers. Complications from TTOD are not frequent, but can be serious.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Jul 2013 18:19:42 +0000
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