Home Oxygen Therapy
Oxygen therapy is usually delivered as a gas via an oxygen source such as an oxygen concentrator, cylinder, liquid reservoir or portable oxygen concentrator (POC). The oxygen is breathed through a nasal cannula or mask that covers the mouth and nose. A nasal cannula is a two pronged device inserted in the nostrils and is connected to the device carrying or concentrating the oxygen.
Once your physician has determined that you should receive oxygen therapy, you will be tested to find the right amount of oxygen for your needs. Oxygen therapy is usually prescribed in Liters Per Minute (LPM) and helps to increase the level of oxygen in the blood and is based on cell respiration.
Types of home Oxygen Therapy:
An oxygen concentrator is a device providing oxygen therapy to a patient at higher concentrations than available in ambient air. They are used as a safer, less expensive, and more convenient alternative to tanks of compressed oxygen.
Oxygen concentrators operate on the principle of pressure swing absorption of atmospheric nitrogen onto zeolite materials. At high pressure, nitrogen sticks to the surface of the zeolite. Because the zeolite is extremely porous, it has a very large surface area and can adsorb large volumes of gas. At low pressure the nitrogen is released.
Gaseous (cylinder) Oxygen
Oxygen Cylinders are the most simple way to provide oxygen patients with the ability to leave the home. Gaseous oxygen is filled into a tank and a device called a regulator is attached to the top of the tank, allowing the gas to be dispensed at the specific Liters Per Minute (LPM) that a physician has prescribed. Typically, a patient would connect either a cannula or an oxygen mask to the regulator attached to the oxygen tank. This allows for direct use of the oxygen therapy.
Oxygen Conservation Devices (OCD)
Some patients may be able to use a OCD in place of a regulator on their portable oxygen tanks. An OCD operates with ‘on demand’ delivery that occurs when the patient inhales, thus triggering a release or ‘burst’ of oxygen that is delivered through the cannula or mask directly to the patient. Only your physician can recommend a OCD for your home oxygen therapy.
Liquid Oxygen Reservoir
Liquid oxygen is an efficient way to supply oxygen to people, especially a home patient. It is sometimes more popular for treatment of conditions like chronic headaches and fatigue that are a result of lack of oxygen. However, liquid oxygen can also be used for patients that have a respiratory condition that requires supplemental oxygen.
Sleep Solutions or your physician can evaluate you for liquid oxygen usage. Sometimes, use of liquid oxygen reservoirs can be more dangerous than other modalities because the patient must refill a portable device to take with them away from the home. Refilling these devices are part of the SSI education that your respiratory clinician would speak with you about when evaluating you for liquid oxygen use.
Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC)
Typically, these devices produce one to five liters per minute of oxygen, and they use some version of pulse flow or “demand flow” to deliver oxygen only when the patient is inhaling. Not every oxygen patient can use a POC, but the devices create more independence for many folks. These portable concentrators typically plug into an electrical outlet like the larger, heavier stationary oxygen concentrators. Only a few portable oxygen concentrators that produce up to three liters per minute of oxygen continuously are currently available. Also, they can provide pulses of oxygen either to provide higher intermittent flows or to reduce the power consumption.
Portable oxygen concentrators usually can also be plugged into the accessory outlet of a vehicle, and most of these devices have the ability to run from battery power. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States has approved the use of portable oxygen concentrators on commercial airlines. However, users of these devices should check in advance as to whether a particular brand or model is permitted on a particular airline.
Usually, “demand” or pulse-flow oxygen concentrators are not used by patients while they sleep. There have been problems with the oxygen concentrators not being able to detect when the sleeping patient is inhaling. Some larger portable oxygen concentrators are designed to operate in continuous-flow mode in addition to pulse-flow mode. Continuous-flow mode is considered safe for night use when coupled with a CPAP machine.