CPAP use for Coronavirus mitigation & severe pneumonia

[SuperSleeper]

The "lung flute" type devices are still available on Amazon, now for about $48, which is only about $10 higher than they used to be.

Search Amazon for "Acapella Vibratory PEP Therapy Device".  There's several of them still available, which surprised me... I would have thought those to go as fast as N95 masks.  Public must have not caught on yet... If you want one, order it now or you may not get a chance tomorrow.

[JohnAP]

Coronavirus: Mercedes F1 to make breathing aid

A breathing aid that can help keep coronavirus patients out of intensive care has been created in under a week.

University College London engineers worked with clinicians at UCLH and Mercedes Formula One to build the device, which delivers oxygen to the lungs without needing a ventilator.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices are already used in hospitals but are in short supply.  China and Italy used them to help Covid-19 patients.

Forty of the new devices have been delivered to ULCH and to three other London hospitals. If trials go well, up to 1,000 of the CPAP machines can be produced per day by Mercedes-AMG-HPP, beginning in a week's time.

Early reports from Lombardy in Italy suggest around 50% of patients given CPAP have avoided the need for invasive mechanical ventilation.  More than 2,000 Covid-19 patients are receiving CPAP on general wards in Lombardy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52087002

[srlevine1]

Forty of the new devices have been delivered to ULCH and to three other London hospitals. If trials go well, up to 1,000 of the CPAP machines can be produced per day by Mercedes-AMG-HPP, beginning in a week's time.

Early reports from Lombardy in Italy suggest around 50% of patients given CPAP have avoided the need for invasive mechanical ventilation.  More than 2,000 Covid-19 patients are receiving CPAP on general wards in Lombardy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52087002

This is great and encouraging news. I wonder if the device will be silver with AMG badging and come with a hat, tee-shirt, and pen?

[electron99]

This is fantastic news - and it validates the thinking of this group.  Given that there are hundreds of thousands of CPAP users worldwide - many of whom are in the greatest 'at risk' categories - I hope that manufacturers can start giving guidelines about suitable settings if anyone finds themselves seriously ill - but unable to get a hospital bed.  The right information could save many lives.

[Geologeek]

The "lung flute" type devices are still available on Amazon, now for about $48, which is only about $10 higher than they used to be.

Search Amazon for "Acapella Vibratory PEP Therapy Device".  There's several of them still available, which surprised me... I would have thought those to go as fast as N95 masks.  Public must have not caught on yet... If you want one, order it now or you may not get a chance tomorrow.

I did and they are selling for £68 and i refuse to pay someone that for a piece of plastic

[DeepBreathing]

At the 2:00 mark of this video there's a cutaway and animation showing how it works. It's a bit more than "a piece of plastic" but whether it's worth £68 I'll leave to you.

[sugarsweet]

Polish newspaper interview with nurse from Madrid, Spain: https://www.rp.pl/Koronawirus-SARS-CoV-2...-rece.html

which says because they don't have more respirators "we use ad hoc means: (...) devices used by obese people at night." I bet it's about CPAPs.

[mper6794]

Search Amazon for "Acapella Vibratory PEP Therapy Device".  There's several of them still available, which surprised me... I would have thought those to go as fast as N95 masks.  Public must have not caught on yet... If you want one, order it now or you may not get a chance tomorrow.

Looks promissing this Acapella....just ordered.
thanks

[3rdMarDiv]

With my last exposure with pneumonia I was given the following device as a PEP tool. This product is made in in Canada.

The Aerobika® OPEP device is a hand held device that uses Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure or OPEP to help clear secretions from your airways. People who have chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, COPD and cystic fibrosis often produce an excessive amount of mucus.
As you exhale through the Aerobika® OPEP device, you will feel vibrations or “pulses” that are loosening the mucus from the walls of your lungs, making it easier for you to cough up the secretions. There is a valve inside the Aerobika® OPEP device that switches quickly between higher and lower resistance creating positive pressure inside your airways. The degree of resistance can be changed depending on your comfort level.
Positive pressure will hold the airways open. Think of how you feel when you blow up a balloon. It is the positive pressure that holds the balloon open. Inside your lungs, the positive pressure opens up small airways that may be blocked by mucus.

Information Only Site
https://www.monaghanmed.com/Aerobika-OPEP

This product is sturdy and well made. It will cost more than Acapella. Prices for the basic unit will be $100+.

PS: Hope I am within website posting rules as I did not see any sales capability on this site. Looks to be medical information about this product.

[jbourne]

The recommendation seems to be to use supplemental oxygen before using an NIV. Is this correct?
In which case, an oxygen concentrator might also be useful and could be used before. And, later with a Bipap/cpap if not sufficient by itself?

Due to being unfamiliar with cpap usage, it seems that it would be best to consult an intensivist before using one. 
But, I might want to get one in case one's not available when needed, while hoping that it does not deprive someone else in greater need. 

Supplemental oxygen could be used by oneself at home, at low/minimal rates < 5lt/min. And, there is lesser chance of there being a shortage of oxygen tanks, concentrators, so I wouldn't feel like I was depriving someone else. 
Thoughts?


On exhale aerosol contamination:
About HEPA filters, they seem to do a good job even for particles of the size of virus and smaller:
smartairfilters(dot)com/en/blog/can-air-purifiers-filter-out-the-coronavirus/
There are also some room purifiers with HEPA filters and UV lamps, but I'm not sure how effective they are. 

Secondly, I came across these things called CPAP helmet masks. They reminded me of the bubble helmets used in Italy.
I wonder if they can help channel the exhaled air better, although I'm not sure if they will do the pressure maintaining job as well.
They also look a lot more complicated.

And, is this device similar to the lung flute/acapella devices
Threshold PEP, Positive expiratory pressure device:
http://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/pr...ure-device