Hospital stay concerns with CPAP

[jdougc]

First of all, I would like to thank the many people who have helped me here.
I am have surgery and a 4 night stay in a hospital I am thinking of using an antimicrobial CPAP tube and an inline antibacterial filter.  Would it too much too add an HME (heat Moisture Exchanger) if needed?  Presently I do not use any humidification.
I have seen where the inline antibacterial filter can cause about a 2 cm drop in pressure and that APAP Mode might have an issue. I can go back to CPAP mode for the hospital stay.
Since it is a neck surgery, I stopped using my soft cervical collar and have been getting used to a chin strap that pulls my chin more up and not back.
But I might be putting too many devices inline on the machine to deliver accurate air supply, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[car54]

A antibacterial filter  would not be the worst thing to bring to the hospital. It might give you some peace of mind.
I do not know any thing about A HME but your normal humidifier should work.

What type of neck surgery are you having may determine if you need a chin strap. I had a cervical fusion and I wore a neck brace.

[SarcasticDave94]

If you normally use the CPAP with the humidifier, it may cause issues with the inline filter. Me personally, I'd rather not use such a filter. It's the same air breathed without CPAP.

[jdougc]

Car54, thanks for the reply.   My C1 is ok, but C2 is not fully formed and is sort of fused with C3 since birth. Also C4-C5, C6-C7 will be fused, so a discectomy and fusion.  They do not like neck braces.
The inline filter doesn't do well with any humidity, it might clog it up. The HME is designed to provide passive humidification, it traps the humidity from your exhaled breath and recirculates when you breathe in.
You are right, that peace of mind is a good thing.

[jdougc]

SarcasticDave94,
Thanks for the reply, but I do not use the humidifier at all, so not an issue with the inline filter.

[car54]

I have about 30% of my neck fused, just wear and tear. I am extremely surprised that some type of neck collar or brace is not used. My was done over 12 years go. My surgery was done on both the front and back of my neck. The results have been good. The hardest part is turning my neck when I back up a car because of limited but still good movement. I wonder if the surgery has changed that much since my surgery. When is your surgery?

[car54]

I'm also curious what is the estimated length of time for the surgery?

[jdougc]

The surgical team said it would likely be a 4 hour surgery. A local surgeon was not going to do anything with my C2-C3 issue, so Ii was glad to get a 2nd opinion.

[Sleeprider]

I would simply continue normal PAP therapy without the additional filters, and use the humidifier with tap or bottled water. I just don't see much risk in continuing therapy with what works, and if any airborne virus or bacteria is going to get you, filtering your CPAP air isn't going to make much difference. By all means use your device in the hospital...I did.

[jdougc]

Sleeprider,
Thanks for the reply, I am glad things worked out for you in your hospital stay. Maybe it is just for "peace of mind", but I am taking precautions.
I am not taking my new AirSense 11, but my backup, which is a lightly used Dreamstation 2, with the foam removed. It works well but this unit has the humidifier heat issue, so not using the humidifier, which I have not needed.  Maybe the noisier Phillips CPAP machine will be like a white noise machine.