btrdaddy,
here is a Quote from your article.

"In addition, for all levels of CPAP, the SV300 offers 2 cm H2O of pressure support ventilation with each breath above the set level of CPAP. Thus, breathing on the SV300 during CPAP without pressure support ventilation is not available. In a previous study comparing the SV300 to the Evita 2 and Evita 4 (ventilators that do not have built-in pressure support ventilation during CPAP), both had higher imposed WOB than the SV300 (29). When an equal level of pressure support ventilation was added to both ventilators, the difference in imposed WOB was eliminated. In our experiments, the availability of pressure support ventilation with each breath explains some of the decrease in WOBP seen with the SV300 as compared with the Babylog (30). This additional pressure support can be seen in the pressure waveform in Figure 3. Also, for each level of CPAP, there was from 1 to 2 cm H2O higher peak pressure with the SV300 as compared with the Babylog. Unfortunately, the Babylog does not have pressure support ventilation, so it was not possible to add this to the CPAP mode."

1) They were comparing the Servo 300 VS The Baby log. When they compared the
Evita 4 and the servo with simular settings (PS, Flow Trigger, ect) the WOB difference disapeared. The proximal air sensor had nothing to do with the WOB.

2) Trigger on the Baby log was turned off

3) Funding for this study was provided by Seimans, think that this might have effected the results or how the study was set up?

4) I did not see anything on volume measrements being more accurate as you had mentioned. Where did you see this?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: light,

quote:

Originally posted by Paul:
GE Healthcare's new product is the Engstrom Carestation, developed by Datex-Ohmeda, now part of GE HEalthcare. It is a full featured critical care ventilator that has been in use in Europe and Australia since May. It received FDA clearance for the U.S. in October and will be formally launched at the AARC meeting in New Orleans next week.

I understand the Carestation has a weaning protocol built into its programs. Is there anyway to get some information on what his protocol is, how it works and how it operates on the ventilator, does it adjust to different patients for weaning (e.g. does it have different protocols) etc. I am really curious as RT has been developing therapist driven protocols and does this protocol come up to standard?

For every action there is a reaction...
When is the last time Drager updated their technology? I went to the AARC convention in New Orleans and Drager took pride in the fact that they could take an old Evita 2 and "make it in to an XL" by pluging the XL screen into the back of the E2. Was the guy at the booth wrong or is this old technology with a big XL screen?? (Let me give your response...."The Drager XL is not the same technology as the Evita 2")... ok, so why can you make an Evita 2 into an XL by pluging it to the back of an Evita 2? Isn't this an "upgrade" that Drager offers?
Again,,,, I'll say again,,,, The question posed by NOVICE earlier was which vent is better... We all have our opinions.
Kick the tires, do your own trials. Ventilator companies are anxious to get their vents in front of you then decide which vent you would want a loved one on.
Go for ease of use, patient ease of use, maintanence (let biomed take a close look at the insides of the ventilator and get their opinions)
I'm out and good luck with your decision.

btrdaddy,
I am unsure if by your state "I'm out and good luck with your discusion" if you are still going to be monitoring this forum but... I hope you did not leave I enjoyed our discussion of vents, it was fun.
Now as far as Drager being able to uprade the E2 to a XL. I think this is the whole point of software based ventilators. In the past when ever new technolgy came out we as consumers had to buy a whole new platform (vent) to get the new options, now all we have to do is buy some new software or maybe some new small peices of hardware (screens) and we have the newest possible options in ventilation. This is the way all ventilators are going these days, the fact that Drager was one of the first to actually come up with it should not be a down fall but a good point of the company. Drager was also the first in this new generation of ventilators to incorporate active exhalation valves, APRV,ATC and many of thes "NEW" features that other vents are touting now.

And once again I too believe that you should try all vents and go with the one you like not the one that has a sales person saying this that or the other. Try them all and see for your self what the vent can and can not do. Btrdaddy I hope you did not leave, the discussion of vents with you was fun due to the fact that both of us had our obvios opinions but both were open to other possibilities.

Hello Everyone:

I am very curious to know if anyone has bought the new ventilator by Engstrom called Carestation. I understand it is widely used in Europe. Has anyone bought it from GE in the US?

I would like to correspond with anyone, US or Europe who owns one of these Carestations.

Thanks
CAKent

Hey light,
We could honestly go back and forth forever... For example (lol)... the fact that you can plug an XL screen into an older E2 is not really a software upgrade.. its making an older system "aprear" to be new... the guts are still the same E2 guts. All that I am saying is that the Servo i's we purchased are new technology (gas delivery system, reponse time, no "scissor valves" like the 900's and 300's. (Our Biomed department almost fell over when they looked at the Servo i).
Lets please not get into APRV... its the only thing drager has really come out with that Servo incorporated into their vent system (BiVENT)... Remember Servo was the first ventilator platform to come out with Pressure Support, Pressure Control (Servo 900's), Volume Support and Pressure Regulated Volume Control (PRVC)(Servo 300's)not to mention AutoMode. I really felt comfortable with our decision to go Servo and just did not like the fact that ventqueen had a scripted drager rep reply when this should be an honest forum for respiratory therapists. I appreciate your comments and plan to continue to monitor the forum but again, we could go back and forth forever when in the end WE are not the ones who need to be purchasing ventilators.
Peace

Glad to see that Servo/Maquet finally caught up to the competition.

Keep smiling....everyone is entitled to their opinion

Great discussion, great give and take and great input!! I agree, that no ventilator or mode can be made out to be the panacea in today's critical care setting.

However, I think if you look at history Drager was a little ahead of the other ventilator companies when it came to technology. In 1987, they introduced the first microprocessor ventilator with an open breathing system. All other ventilators had moving parts, bellows and scissor valves. Does it make them a better company? No, but I would put them ahead of everyone else when it comes to technology/inovation! Other companies are touting "new technology" that has really been around for 18+ years.

Thanks for everyone's input, it really is enjoyable!!

Marcus

Does any one have experiance with the vela ventilator. If so haver you had any problems with it.

Hi Group! Just a couple of constructive comments. The drager evita is great for a smaller hospital or step-down unit and in 2004 we got a great deal on them!
But, also remember "what types of patients you plan to use them on?"
If it's just a neonate one a month or a transport to the CT scan a Draeger Evita or Espirit are ideal!
But if you are planning on ventilating 20 patients 24/7, I'd go with Servo or a larger Draeger model.