A potentially dangerous therapy (EERS)

[sim62]

https://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.ph...ace_(EERS)

The author suggests to close the vent on the mask and move it away from the mask. This allows the user to re-breathe a certain amount of exhaled air, which increases the effective concentration of CO2 in inhaled air, thus making the user breathe deeper and eliminating central apneas. 

Without adding the Corr-a-Flex segment, the nasal mask tube (16-inches x 15 mm) provides about 70 mL of dead space. Standard Corr-a-Flex is in 6-inch (15.24 cm) segments which has about 58 mL of dead space.

Since the vent is not closed but only *moved away*, the author says it is safe. However let us look at the numbers.

The dead spaces are physically added so that the user re-breathes 128 ml of exhaled air, which is about 1/4 of the normal inhalation volume. The concentration of CO2 in exhaled air is about 3.5% or 35,000 ppm. Thus, the effective concentration of CO2 in inhaled air is about 9,000 ppm. This is far beyond the maximum permissible concentrations for long-term (e.g. during work shift) breathing. May be it can help someone but who knows what may happen to another person in sleep, and the long-term consequences of such therapy AFAIK are not well established. The readers must be aware that they act on their own risk, but nevertheless. Unfortunately the users can not post their comments on Wiki.

[alpir]

Maybe sealing the nose piece vent in a P30i style mask is just fine? I measured the volume of the nasal cradle and the frame and got about 70mL.

I wonder though if the ventilation provided by the elbow is enough to vent all the air that goes back to the tubing, as to avoid rebreathing more air than is held in the frame and nose piece.

[sim62]

You need to test it for yourself. The titration procedure (in clinic) is described in the article referred to on the above webpage. You just need to understand what you are doing.

[sim62]

A member of advisory board ChadBSr says that he is using a 400 ml EERS setup (you can see this in his profile), and it helps him a lot. I am sure that every human being would die within minutes if he constantly rebreathed 400 ml of exhaled air, provided his tidal volume is 500 ml. Something to think about.

[Crimson Nape]

sim62 - Your post above leads me to believe that you have misinterpreted the meaning of what an Advisory Member is. An advisory member is a member that aids in advising on the operation of this board. As with any other membership level here, It DOES NOT indicate any degree of knowledge or expertise. The decision to follow or reject a recommendation is left up to the reader.

Do not place any significance on the member's membership level.
- Red

[sim62]

Crimson Nape, thank you for the clarification. Actually I would like to say the same for those who may be under impression of a title (or membership level, in this case). Personally I take critically even the recommendations of physicians.