[dorkbotsea-blabber] Heating up air in a ventilator - ideas?

[Ralph Brand]

I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier. My wife uses a CPAP with a heated hose. The hose is made in Australia (www.sleepzone.com.au) This is actually her second one. When the first one died I took it apart. It is made by wrapping magnet wire along the spiral ridge of a standard CPAP hose and covering the hose with a cloth tube. Two wires form a long loop so that both ends are at one end of the hose where it connects to a wall wart. That is it. It relies on the length and thinness of the wire to provide enough resistance to limit the current and the degree of heating. 

 

From: dorkbotsea-blabber-bounces at dorkbot.org [mailto:dorkbotsea-blabber-bounces at dorkbot.org] On Behalf Of James Buchanan
Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2010 3:34 PM
To: A discussion list for dorkbot-sea
Subject: Re: [dorkbotsea-blabber] Heating up air in a ventilator - ideas?

 

HI Chris,

  Great idea, but the CPAP does not circumvent the immune system. If I get Eleu's post correctly, the air get's pumped directly into her friend's lungs. This system would bypass the nasal cavity and other germ filtering elements. Additionally, there is the question of oxygenation level. Though the CPAP's job is to create (Please correct me) the proper pressure to allow breathing, the oxygenation level is NOT regulated. Eleu's friend might be suffering from additional things, such as diminished lung capacity, that warrant a cold oxygen rich air flow.

 

BTW, I'm not a doctor and the above statements are not from any medical professional.

 

I do think talking to a doctor, getting a second opinion, and talking to a durable medical care company would be a great idea.

 

Eleu, please keep us posted!

 

- James 

-----Original Message-----
From: dorkbotsea-blabber-bounces at dorkbot.org [mailto:dorkbotsea-blabber-bounces at dorkbot.org]On Behalf Of Christopher Prosser
Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2010 11:52 AM
To: A discussion list for dorkbot-sea
Subject: Re: [dorkbotsea-blabber] Heating up air in a ventilator - ideas?

I agree with the second opinion. I've just started using a CPAP machine. It's a device almost like a respirator though I get to take it off. Guess what? It comes with a heater and humidifier. Though she should talk to a durable medical care company, not her doctor. I use these guys up in Seattle: http://www.caremedical.com/store-locations.shtml.

I would not recommend a DIY solution. Too many opportinities to injure someone for my comfort level.

Here's a commercial product I found with about 10 seconds of searching: http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/213280873/humidifier.html

-c

On Sun, May 23, 2010 at 11:35 AM, Ralph Brand <rbrand at drizzle.com> wrote:

How about a simple heat exchanger that she wears under her coat. A long tube
that is folded into a vest would give the air plenty of time to reach body
temperature by the time it reached her. The problem would be ensuring that
it doesn't chill her from the outside.


-----Original Message-----
From: dorkbotsea-blabber-bounces at dorkbot.org
[mailto:dorkbotsea-blabber-bounces at dorkbot.org] On Behalf Of Eleu
Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2010 9:51 AM
To: A discussion list for dorkbot-sea
Subject: [dorkbotsea-blabber] Heating up air in a ventilator - ideas?

Hi,

My friend in Portland uses a ventilator 24 hours a day, and has done
so for years while living a very full life (artist, activist, really
fun, social person).
She zips around on a wheelchair/scooter with a big battery pack,
ventilator attached.

Her biggest daily challenge is that the air in this region is cool,
and the ventilator pumps this cool air directly into her lungs,
chilling her whole system.
Because of this, she is cold even in the middle of summer. She has
asked doctors about an air-heating apparatus, and their response has
been no, it would be impossible because it would melt the plastic tubes.

My friend is considering a move to Texas to stay warm. I would like it
if she had the choice of staying in the Pacific Northwest and being
comfortable.

It seems like there has to be a way of getting around this problem.
Any ideas or opinions? Your thoughts appreciated!

Eleu


........................................................................
.........dorkbot: people doing strange things with electricity..........
..........................http://dorkbot.org............................
........................................................................

........................................................................
.........dorkbot: people doing strange things with electricity..........
..........................http://dorkbot.org............................
........................................................................

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://music.columbia.edu/pipermail/dorkbotsea-blabber/attachments/20100524/47e87519/attachment-0001.html>