Portable oxygen concentrators POCs – Brief history, operation, Pulse dose, Continuos flow, POC uses in the medical and commercial fields, when to exercise caution and more, five good companies where you can purchase Portable Oxygen Concentrators from
Detail information about Portable oxygen concentrators in the market !
A portable oxygen concentrator (POC) is a device used to provide oxygen therapy to people that require greater oxygen concentrations than the levels of ambient air. It is similar to a home oxygen concentrator (OC), but is smaller in size and more mobile. They are small enough to carry and many are now FAA-approved for use on airplanes.
Brief history
Medical oxygen concentrators were developed in the late 1970s. Early manufacturers included Union Carbide and Bendix Corporation. They were initially conceived of as a method of providing a continuous source of home oxygen without the use of heavy tanks and frequent deliveries. Beginning in the 2000s, manufacturers developed portable versions. Since their initial development, reliability has been improved, and POCs now produce between one and six liters per minute (LPM) of oxygen depending the breathing rate of the patient. The latest models of intermittent flow only products weigh in the range of from 2.8 to 9.9 pounds (1.3 to 4.5 kg) and continuous flow (CF) units between 10 and 20 pounds (4.5 to 9.0 kg).
How to operate a Portable Oxygen Concentrator ?
POCs operate on the same principle as a home concentrator, pressure swing adsorption. The basic set up of a POC is a miniaturized air compressor, a cylinder filled containing the sieve, a pressure equalizing reservoir and valves and tubes. During the first half of the first cycle the internal compressor forces this air through a system of chemical filters known as a molecular sieve. This filter is made up of silicate granules called zeolite which attract (via adsorption) nitrogen molecules onto their surfaces more strongly than they attract oxygen molecules – this takes the nitrogen out of the air and concentrates the oxygen.
The atmosphere contains around 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen; the 1% remainder is a mixture of other gases which pass through this process. A POC system is functionally a nitrogen scrubber capable of consistently producing medical-grade oxygen of up to 90%. The most important consideration for a POC is its ability to supply adequate supplementary oxygen to relieve hypoxia (oxygen deficiency) during normal activities and based on the patients breathing cycles. Other variables include maximum oxygen purity, the number and increment of settings for adjusting oxygen flow, and battery capacity (or number of add-on batteries) and power cord options for recharging.
What are Pulse dose Portable Oxygen Concentrators ?
Pulse dose (also called intermittent-flow or on-demand) POCs are the smallest units, often weighing as little as 5 pounds (2.2 kg). Their small size enables the patient to not waste energy gained from the treatment on carrying them. Here the unit intermittently administers a volume (or bolus) of oxygen in milliliters per breath (mL/breath). Their ability to conserve oxygen is key to keeping the units so compact without sacrificing the duration of oxygen supply. Most of the current POC systems provide oxygen on a pulse (on-demand) delivery and are used with a nasal cannula to deliver the oxygen to the patient.
Note: You can learn more Portable Oxygen Concentrators at the best online medical assistant schools that have excellent certification programs and classes.
What are Continuos flow Portable Oxygen Concentrators ?
With continuous flow units, oxygen delivery is measured in LPM (liters per minute). Providing continuous flow requires a larger molecular sieve and pump/motor assembly, and additional electronics. This increases the device’s size and weight (approximately 18–20 lbs). There are some units available that are capable of functioning in either mode. With on-demand or pulse flow, delivery is measured by the size (in milliliters) of the “bolus” of oxygen per breath.
Where are POCs used in the medical field ?
Allows patients to utilize oxygen therapy 24/7 and reduce mortality as much 1.94 times less than for just overnight use.
Helps improve exercise tolerance, by allowing the user to exercise longer.
A POC is a safer option than carrying around an oxygen tank since it makes the purer gas on demand.
Helps increase stamina throughout day-to-day activities.
Where are POCs used in the commercial field ?
Glass blowing industry
Skin care
Non-pressurized aircraft
Nightclub oxygen bars – although doctors and the FDA have expressed some concern with this.
Where and when to exercise caution ?
On-demand units are not advised for patients that experience oxygen desaturation due to sleep apnea, and a CPAP mask is generally advised for them. For patients whose desaturation is due to shallow breathing, the nighttime use of POCs is a useful therapy. Especially with the advent of alarms and technology that detects a patient’s slower breathing during sleep and adjusts the flow or bolus size accordingly.
Five best companies where you can purchase Portable Oxygen Concentrators from:
Inogen Low Cost POCs
Since 2001, people at Inogen have been creating a best-in-class portfolio of portable oxygen concentrators. They utilize direct patient feedback in their research and development efforts to further innovate technology and products in order to stay at the forefront of patient preference.
Inogen One G5 – First Look, Unboxing and Review
Among the world’s lightest quietest portable oxygen concentrator is the Inogen One G5 that offers the most oxygen per pound for a portable oxygen concentrator in the market today. With its compact and lightweight design, the Inogen One G5 provides varying flow settings from 1-6 and is designed for 24-hour use, dramatically increasing your patients’ independence. This POC’s user interface has been designed with easy-to-read LCD displays and simple control functions.
OxyGo Fit portable oxygen concentrator
The OxyGo Family of portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) are designed to keep oxygen patients, going. An OxyGo POC is a lightweight medical device that can make the medical oxygen your doctor prescribed from the air around you. With an OxyGo POC, you never need to worry about running out of oxygen and you don’t need to carry heavy tanks!
Their 3 setting Intelligent Pulse dose OxyGo FIT is the smallest and lightest member of the OxyGo family. OxyGo FIT is about half the size of OxyGo, and is small enough and quiet enough to be worn on a patient’s hip. Weighing in at 2.8 lbs. with up to a 5 hour battery life, the OxyGo FIT Keeps Going—Everywhere.
Liberty medical specialities portable oxygen concentrator
For your convenience, Liberty Medical Specialties offers healthcare equipment and medical supply deliveries to over 70 counties in North Carolina and South Carolina. They guarantee on-time equipment delivery and their Certified Delivery Technicians will educate you on how to use your new equipment.
Their SimplyGo is the only portable oxygen concentrator to offer continuous flow and pulse-dose delivery in one lightweight device, weighting only ten pounds. SimplyGo strives to set a new standard in POC reliability. Designed, built, and rigorously tested to withstand the bumps and bangs of everyday life, SimplyGo can be counted on to perform reliably in real-world use day in and day out. The SimplyGo portable oxygen concentrator has continuous flow, pulse-dose, and sleep modes, weighs 10 lbs with battery installed.
Rotech portable oxygen concentrator
At Rotech, they believe that your life should be improved by your prescribed equipment – not limited by it. For this reason, they provide a full line of oxygen equipment, including: Oxygen Concentrators – a device used in your home which provides oxygen at higher concentrations than room air and Portable Oxygen Systems – for convenient use when you are on the move.
Their trained and experienced Patient Service Technicians make sure you are properly educated on your oxygen equipment from safe set-up to effective operation in the comfort of your home. With hundreds of locations throughout the country, they are able to service a wide-range of patients and will work with medical providers to accommodate your home oxygen needs.
Philips SimplyGo Portable oxygen concentrator
SimplyGo offers continuous flow and pulse-dose delivery in a device weighing 10 pounds. Reliably manage the therapy and lifestyle needs of your patients with just one POC. With SimplyGo, you have a choice of two-, three-, or five-year warranties. While some POCs must be returned to the manufacturer for service, your technicians can perform work on SimplyGo right in your shop, if your prefer.
With a long-life compressor, high-quality parts, a high impact resistant design, and oversized cart wheels, SimplyGo was built to set new standards of ruggedness. During development, SimplyGo was rigorously tested and subjected to extreme conditions including impacts, vibrations, and temperatures to deliver reliable performance day in and day out.
The battery is immediately accessible. One of the keys to SimplyGo’s portability is its lightweight and compact battery. It is easily accessible and can be quickly changed by patients. There are no awkward external battery belts, connectors, or hard-to-maintain internal batteries. SimplyGo has more than twice the oxygen output of any POC weighing 10 pounds or less. That means SimplyGo is able to keep up with your patients’ portable oxygen needs today and tomorrow.
TIP: You may also want to check out refurbished and pre owned portable oxygen concentrators for sale online before you decide to own a new one. You may even opt to purchase a POC that is FDA approved !
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