We recently purchased 10 respironic bipap avaps units with humidifiers. We are currently debating the usage of bacteria filters with these units. We use disposable Hudson bacteria filters inline with the unit and with the humidifier in use, it becomes necessary to change them out quite often due to water in the filter, causing air trapping on the machine side and decreased pressure to the patient. The other options are running without a filter or running without humidity. This defeats the purpose of buying these units. Is there a filter out there that can be installed between the machine and the humidifier? I realize the patient doesn't actually exhaled into the machine but with the bugs we have around nowdays, you can't be too carefull. We clean the humidifiers between patients with control III.

sheryl,
It sounds like you are describing your use of a bacteria filter on the outflow of the V60 "ventilator". I have not used this machine, bit would guess it to be not much different in function than the Vision BiPAP. I have used that machine a great deal with active humidification and have never experienced what it seems you are describing as retrograde humidification. How you are getting moisture back at the outflow filter is difficult to understand as all gas flow should be from the machine toward and through the humidifier with little conceivable opportunity for moisture to get back to the filter. If this is what is happening I would suggest checking the Respironics rep or repair tech to make sure everything is set up right and would keep the filter in the system and change it frequently. If the moisture can get backto the filter,then it can get into the machine and that couldn't be a good thing.

Are you finding the V60 and AVAPS providing and advantage over the Vision? Although I am definitely a fan of Respironics' breath delivery logic on their BiPAPs or the BiPAP machine they now call a ventilator, when I looked at the V60 it seemed to be a little slow in adjusting pressure to achieve the target volume for what I had become used to on other vents performing similar functions. I was told there would be a "Fast AVAPS" that was coming? I haven't heard if that was available yet. I think the best improvement over the vision is the battery. Please let us know how your humidification issue is resolved.