Re: Condensation in compressor hoses

[Guest guest]

Good post! " Ray for you, !

Love,

n Rojas

[Guest guest]

I have another concern about condensation in the hoses between the

compressor and nebulizer:

Pari and other respiratory companies now supply the hoses with the lumen or

bore inside that is ridged instead of smooth. The ridges give the outside a

frosted look that makes it more difficult to see the moisture that may be

lurking inside the hose. In addition, the ridges greatly increase surface

area inside the hose where more moisture can settle. The valleys between the

ridges make it more difficult to be sure all moisture has been expelled from

the hose so it will be perfectly dry and not a host for bacterial growth

before the next use.

We have ordered, separately, the hoses with smooth insides and do not use

the ones that come with the Pari nebulizers.

I understand the ridged hoses were developed for people on oxygen so the

hoses could not kink and completely shut off oxygen supply. That is not a

concern when using them for nebulization of meds. Growth of Pseudomonas and

other bacteria in moisture is a big concern for people with CF and keeping

equipment dry between uses is very important.

I have been meaning to write to Pari about this and will send them a copy of

this post.

M

[Guest guest]

Thank you Torsten and for the help. We do use two different

nebulizer's and maybe that is one explanation. Also the Tobi takes longer so

maybe the

compressor becomes heated, creating moisture. I was instructed by the doctors

to make sure there is never condensation, to run the line until it clears.

Will let you know if and when we solve the problem.

Pattie

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for the heads up about " new " the compressor hoses. I've not

seen those types yet; thankfully, still has the smooth hoses. He

is really, REALLY negligent about running the compressor after his

treatment to blow out the condensation. This drives me nuts! But he's

such a creature of habit that he never thinks to do it.

When he first started using a nebulizer (around 4th grade?), this

condensation was never a problem. It's interesting that Angie noticed

it with Pulmozyme (or was it TOBI?).

Maybe that's about the time started having condensation

problems? He was put on Pulmozyme when it first became available

(January 1993 or 1994?), and then in 1995 he was enrolled in the TOBI

study. As part of the study, the folks gave him a new compressor and

provided all nebs and hoses. I wish I could remember when this

condensation problem started, but I do know it seemed to be worse

after he switched to using a Pari Pro Neb compressor. And like others,

it is also worse seasonally, typically during the hot, humid months of

summer (even with air conditioning running).

, I hope you'll let us know what the folks at Pari say if you

decide to write them.

Kim

--- " KM " <hbyc7@r...> wrote:

I have another concern about condensation in the hoses between the

compressor and nebulizer:

Pari and other respiratory companies now supply the hoses with the

lumen or bore inside that is ridged instead of smooth. The ridges give

the outside a frosted look that makes it more difficult to see the

moisture that may be lurking inside the hose. In addition, the ridges

greatly increase surface area inside the hose where more moisture can

settle. The valleys between the ridges make it more difficult to be

sure all moisture has been expelled from the hose so it will be

perfectly dry and not a host for bacterial growth before the next use.

We have ordered, separately, the hoses with smooth insides and do

not use the ones that come with the Pari nebulizers.

I understand the ridged hoses were developed for people on oxygen so

the hoses could not kink and completely shut off oxygen supply. That

is not a concern when using them for nebulization of meds. Growth of

Pseudomonas and other bacteria in moisture is a big concern for people

with CF and keeping equipment dry between uses is very important.

I have been meaning to write to Pari about this and will send them a

copy of this post.

M

[Guest guest]

I did email both the US Pari company and the Canadian distributor ... spoke

with the President of the Canadian distributor. He explained that the

condensation problem occurs when the machines get hot, such as when running

them for longer periods of time to do some of the CF meds. He acknowledged

the problem in the ProNeb Turbo and said they hoped the new Ultra would

solve the problem but it didn't, so they reduced pressure in the Ultra so

that it shouldn't have condensation problems now (but may if run for long

periods of time). He was surprised that we have the problem with Pari's

DuraNeb 3000. We have also had the 'condensation in the hose' problem with

both other compressors we have had that were not Pari products, so it seems

to be a common problem.

At first I got the answers that they couldn't change it because they didn't

want to risk getting hoses mixed up and a smooth hose going for oxygen use.

I suggested a large warning on the packaging of smooth hoses could counter

that. Then he said that it would require a separate item number to separate

the nebs from the hoses or to package them with smooth hoses. SO?? Canada

can't give item numbers, that has to be done in the US.. SO??

I suggested that they note the condensation problem in their instructions

and the remedy of removing the neb cup and letting the hose run until the

hose was dry. All that has to be done by the US company. SO??

I eventually suggested that if PARI wasn't willing to address the problem,

then they could be putting people with CF at risk of lung infections from

moisture in the hoses. They were willing to address the needs of the oxygen

patients and need to address the special infection concerns for people with

CF.

He mentioned to me that the equipment could be cleaned with vinegar and

water. He didn't know that vinegar is NOT a disinfectant! PARI and other

respiratory companies continue to promote this cleaning method. Our clinic

physio has been after PARI to change the vinegar and water instructions to

note that CF patients need to boil the nebulizer parts to disinfect them

(Control III is not approved for sale in Canada). She has not yet been

successful in getting PARI to take action and change their instructions. In

hard water situations, vinegar can be useful in removing mineral deposits

from the equipment but does not disinfect.

Finally, the gentleman I spoke with said he would forward my email to the

appropriate dept. in the U.S. company and get back to me when he hears back

from them.

I'll keep you all posted. It may take more than one parent to get CF needs

addressed. If I don't get a satisfactory response from PARI, perhaps we need

to ask our respective CFF and CCFF and CF organizations in other countries

to make the concerns/needs clear to PARI.

Next question: How come no one has done simple research to tell us how often

we need to change the hoses????

M

Re: Condensation in compressor hoses

> ,

>

> Thanks for the heads up about " new " the compressor hoses. I've not

> seen those types yet; thankfully, still has the smooth hoses

....

> , I hope you'll let us know what the folks at Pari say if you

> decide to write them.

>

> Kim

>

> --- " KM " <hbyc7@r...> wrote:

....

> Pari and other respiratory companies now supply the hoses with the

> lumen or bore inside that is ridged instead of smooth. The ridges give

> the outside a frosted look that makes it more difficult to see the

> moisture that may be lurking inside the hose. In addition, the ridges

> greatly increase surface area inside the hose where more moisture can

> settle. The valleys between the ridges make it more difficult to be

> sure all moisture has been expelled from the hose so it will be

> perfectly dry and not a host for bacterial growth before the next use.

....