Pressure-Monitored CPAP Device
Respironics Inc, Murrysville, Pa, introduces C-Flex™, an alternative to the traditional CPAP therapy product designed to provide more comfortable treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. C-Flex tracks patients’ breathing to lower the amount of pressure delivered during exhalation and take the work out of exhalation. It features three settings that allow patients to select the appropriate level of pressure relief. The company hopes the product will promote long-term therapy compliance. It will be offered in the REMstar® Pro CPAP System as a member of the REMstar family of products. (800) 345-6443.
Flow Generator
ResMed Corp, San Diego, introduces the S7™ Lightweight, the latest addition to its family of flow generators for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. A fixed CPAP flow generator, it features ResMed’s modular humidification system and gross-altitude and fine-gain adjustment for accurate pressure delivery. It is available with integrated heated (HumidAire 2i™) or cold passover (HumidAire 2iC™) humidification. Sharing a common platform with the company’s S7 Elite and AutoSet Spirit, the S7 Lightweight provides clinicians and home care providers with efficiencies in inventory management and staff training. (858) 746-2226.
Respiratory Conference
Focus Publications presents the third annual FOCUS on Respiratory Care & Sleep Medicine Conference for respiratory therapists, nurses, sleep technologists, and physicians on April 10–12, 2003, at the Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tenn. The registration fee is $225 ($200 for students) and includes 42 lectures in adult respiratory care, pediatric/neonatal respiratory care, sleep medicine, management, education, home care, and holistic medicine, plus four bonus workshops. Also included are two meals, a night at the Grand Ole Opry, a festive exhibit hall, and a 3-hour opening party with free food and refreshments. The keynote speaker is Naomi Judd, and the exhibit hall will feature 160 exhibitors with door prizes, caricature artists, live music, and free happy hours. Sixteen continuing education credits are available for each discipline. (800) 661-5690.
Portable Sleep Monitor
Oxford BioSignals Ltd, Oxford, UK, has introduced the BioSomnia portable sleep system, which has received FDA approval. Developed from leading edge neural network technology, BioSomnia is the first single EEG channel sleep system to provide objective information on the quantity and quality of sleep. BioSomnia is a lightweight, battery-powered portable monitor processing a single channel of EEG overnight. BioSomnia is easy to use, with a choice of electrode montages below the hairline to simplify patient hookup. BioSomnia analyzes the EEG signal in real time, and the easy-to-use, rapid report generator software displays information on sleep latency, duration, fragmentation, and microarousals.
Experts agree that effective treatment of insomnia requires good diagnosis, yet doctors lack the means to measure sleep easily and objectively in the patient’s home environment. BioSomnia can assist diagnosis, guide therapy, and help evaluate efficacy of treatments. BioSomnia offers a cost-effective sleep analysis tool for laboratory or home studies. First shipments of BioSomnia have begun in November 2002 to the United States and Europe. Oxford BioSignals is a pioneer in bringing neural network technology to automatic sleep analysis. +44 (0) 1865 336170.
Nasal Cannula CPAP Interface
VIASYS Healthcare Inc’s HomeCare Group, Yorba Linda, Calif, is now the distributor for the Spiritus™ nasal cannula CPAP interface, which offers comfortable, convenient, quiet therapy without a mask and headgear. The cannula is designed to use a larger bore tubing that is approximately 1/3 the length of competitive products.
Soft and lightweight, the Spiritus features a built-in swivel for easy movement. Because there are no tubes over the ears, it eliminates sleep disruption due to sound, and there are no pressure points to interfere with various sleeping positions. Available in three sizes, it features single-strap headgear to allow users to wear glasses during use. (610) 862-0800.
