Portable oxygen concentrator
Portable oxygen concentrators are currently available on the market: their notable interest is to facilitate daily life, and especially the movement of patients IRCG, oxygen-dependent. These portable oxygen concentrators, which there are currently five different models, are promoted by manufacturers to be used in aircraft. These new devices, small,
Compact and low weight, appear as a practical, safe and particularly well suited to anyone who needs oxygen when moving
by plane.
Based on a technical principle known for many years, the portable oxygen concentrator extract oxygen from ambient air and renders the patient a gas whose oxygen concentration is between 90% and 96%.
The lighter devices (between 2 and 5 kg) are generally equipped with un valve system at the request for oxygen in pulse mode (this is the inspiration of the patient that triggers the arrival of a bolus of oxygen setting has been previously determined and prescribed by the physician). The heavier (about 8 kg) allows a choice between oxygen in pulse mode or continuous flow up to 3 l/min. Easily transportable, including through the use of a more often provided caddy with portable oxygen concentrator, these devices give patients freedom of use thanks to their double possibility of supply, sector or internal batteries. Internal batteries give a variable autonomy, linked to the type of batteries used and the setting of the unit: the use of pack (s) battery (s) extra (s), possible for portable oxygen concentrators with lithium ion batteries, extends several hours the duration of operation of the device.
Simple handling and safe to use, these devices provide also other benefits for patients: they allow in particular the continuity of the treatment prescribed in any autonomy when movingfull (home, airport, airplane, airport, home) and in the aircraft, they are very easily compact under the passenger's seat before (see even along the seat behind the passenger's own legs) that, in principle, does no additional cost to the patient. The use of this type of material seems to be promised to develop very soon, especially since recent publications of the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which, dated July 12, 2005 (7) and (8), September 12, 2006 allow passengers of commercial lines for use in planes, in-flight, five portable oxygen concentrators subject to certain conditions. In addition to the recognized clinical effectiveness of these devices, there are, of course, a few requirements to be met by patients in respiratory failure, on the logistical and practical terms, so as to be able to travel with a minimum of constraints. At the initiative of the ANTADIR and the AIR France company, a study of logistics - performed on "healthy" witnesses in the presence of an "Observer" the company doctor - was conducted to attempt to identify the practical difficulties and "hotspots" that passenger patients might encounter throughout their journey, in airports and in aircraft particularly. This study was conducted on 2 flights return (Paris - SaintDenis of the meeting and Paris - Montréal) between April and may 2008.
Find all our models of portable oxygen concentrator.