Recall alert: if you use a Royal Phillips Respironics brand CPAP machine, your machine could be part of a massive recall affecting thousands of machines by this manufacturer. The machines are said to have an insulating foam that could cause cancer if inhaled. Says the FDA “polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) sound abatement foam, which is used to reduce sound and vibration in these affected devices, may break down and potentially enter the device’s air pathway.” The recall includes CPAP, Ventilators and BiPAP machines by Royal Phillips Respironics.
If your machine is made by this manufacturer, you are asked to contact your prescribing doctor. Unfortunately, the demand for replacement machines has been so high that some news outlets are reporting that it could be at least a year before these machines can be replaced, with machines by other manufacturers now on backorder due to the demand left by the recall.
Thankfully, no one has reported becoming ill from the foam yet, but for many, being without CPAP therapy is also dangerous. That’s because CPAP therapy helps patients with sleep apnea, by forcing their airway open as they sleep, enabling them to breathe. Without the intervention of CPAP or some other means, sleep apnea sufferers are vulnerable to the dangerous side effects of sleep apnea, including high blood pressure, depression, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease, all of which can be exacerbated by sleep apnea.
So, what’s the solution if your machine is recalled and you can’t get a replacement soon? A mandibular prosthetic device could be the answer. These devices are custom fit to your mouth at Dr. Abelar’s office, and prop your airway open so that you can breathe while in the reclining position as you sleep. These devices are safe, comfortable, and often preferred to CPAP machines because they don’t require forced air, tubes, masks, and complicated machinery. They even clean up much easier with no tubing to fuss with.
Whether your CPAP device has been recalled or you’re simply tired of CPAP therapy or looking for an alternative, a mandibular device may be right for you. To learn more about these convenient devices, please contact Dr. Abelar’s office today.
