Oxygen concentrators have come along way. I remember when the machines were a couple of hundred pounds and our patient needed a very long hose called a canula so they would'nt have to lug the machine all around the house. Imagine having a lung disease 10 years ago. You were stuck in your house and no way to get out. Than came the oxygen bottles and home fill systems. They were still heavy but they filled up bottles that would allow you to go out of the house four hours at a time.
Boy was that hard telling a patient that they would have to time there day so they do not run out of oxygen. Today it is a lot different. Now if you are prescribed oxygen it is no longer like having a jail sentence. The first portable oxygen concentrators were made by airsep. It was a decent unit. Being the first of course there were many improvements that had to be made. It wasnt as durable as it should have been, the motor was loud and boy can that be uncomfortable when you are sitting in a movie, and the battery life was very low so it had to be constantly charged. Next out was the inogen one. This unit was quiter and more durable but the battery life was very short when you were on high liters per minute. Inogen had extra batteries you can purchase but the were very expensive for such a short use. One other thing both of these units did not have was continuous flow. That didn't work for many patients.
Even patients on pulse flow needed continuous for when they sleep. Sequal Eclipse came out and solved that problem. To date Sequal Eclipse is still the best continuous flow on the market. Its a bit heavier at 17 pounds compared to 10 but has a cart to tote it around. All these units are now FAA approved so travel at your leisure. No more paying high prices for airline oxygen. Lets not forget the newest portable oxygen concentrator added to our fleet the Respironics Evergo this unit does not have continous flow but promises one shortly. The Respironics Evergo does have a set of batteries that the unit carries at one time still only 10 pounds and lasts for up to 8 hours. How is that for convenience? Most of these units don't need to be carried. They come with bags, carts, AC/DC power supplies for easy traveling. Just charge it up in the car or at the hotel. Oxygen patients enjoy your freedom. Don't let this disease hold you back, because now there is a choice.
Posts
