When a new development cycle begins for a device meant to monitor a patient’s respiratory condition, manufacturers should consider the challenges their design will face with humidity. Humidity is a catalyst for disruption, as it increases the risk of costly device damage and affects analysis of patients’ respiratory state. Too much moisture in the device…
Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) and Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (Metabolic Testing or CPET) have been avaluable source of diagnosis and assessment of respiratory conditions for years. COVID-19 put a strain on theability for labs to be operational and now, as testing has picked up, labs have adopted varying procedures forkeeping patients safe. As you develop solutions to aid in the safe operation of PFT and CPET equipment, we wouldlike to offer insights to support you. Below, you can review five things to consider as you refine your PFT deviceoffering. EXPLORING CHANGES IN MOISTURE CONTROL How will added moisture control affect our test results? Without sufficient moisture control, condensation in the sampling line becomes an issue, slowing readings andaffecting results. The same concept applies to Metabolic Testing. With every exhaled breath, water vapor is being pushedto the sampling line. Nafion™ Tubing removes the vapor, enabling proper measurement andreducing theopportunities for moisture to damage the critical device. How will added moisture control affect our test results? Without sufficient moisture control, you risk build-up of condensation. For the engineer, this could mean inefficiencies in measurements or costly damage to the device. For the clinicians, this couldmean incorrect or slow measurements, downtime for device repair, and potentially retestingthe patient. The effects are costly and delay patient results and diagnosis. The reason respiratory engineers turn to Perma Pure is to mitigate risks of moisture issues with a customizedNafion™ Tubing solution. Nafion™ Tubing can be connected to your chosen sampling line or we can support yourteam in designing and manufacturing a unique sampling line for your device. The savings in cost and time to you, the technician using your device, and the patient in need of a diagnosis or assessment, makes Nafion™ Tubing a solid choice for moisture control. What could affect drying performance in my Nafion™ Tubing? Dehumidification performance can be diminished by a variety of factors. Given that PFT and CPET are performedunder a variety of conditions we can only share what we have learned. Since Nafion™ Tubing is used with PFT and CPET testing equipment, in environments where heavybreathing is needed, technicians may want to disinfect equipment in between patients. Our ME Dryers, made from Nafion™ Tubing, are intended for single-patient use. When our solutions come into contact with substances like NaCl or Alconox, drying efficiency decreases significantly. When Nafion™ Tubing was exposedto bleach and H2O2, the Drying Efficiency shrunk to approximately 33% and 63%, respectively. Thediminished dehumidification performance can be costly to labs and make the technician’sjob harder, so supporting you in exploring ways to avoid reduced performance is important to us. We are performing substances tests to increase our understanding of how varying substances affect theperformance of our dryers. These insights will allow for more guidance around maintaining optimal dryingperformance. Maintaining Target Moisture Control How can I reduce risk of changes to drying performance? Managing conditions in labs is difficult. As conditions and present substances will vary, especially as your customerbase grows, the versatility of your solution will be more and more important. Here are our initial thoughts on howyou can reduce risk of changes in drying efficiency as you look for more ways to make your patients feel safe. First, keeping…
Nafion™ is a polymer that can add/remove select materials, including water vapor, to a gas stream through a first order kinetic reaction (a chemical reaction). Because it’s non-porous, other molecules cannot pass through it. This unique property makes it ideal for medical applications such as removing water vapor from breath samples or adding humidity to…
When designing medical equipment, engineers can often feel like Goldilocks when it comes to humidity: there’s too much or too little—and their challenge is to make it just right. Too Much Humidity is a Frequent Problem The air (or a gas) can only hold so much water vapor. Depending on external factors like temperature and…
Nafion™ is a polymer that add/remove select materials, including water vapor, to a gas stream through a first order kinetic reaction (a chemical reaction). Because it’s non-porous, other molecules cannot pass through it. This unique property makes it ideal for medical applications such as removing water vapor from breath samples or adding humidity to gas…
Breath has lots of moisture. To see, just blow on a mirror and watch it fog up. Getting rid of the moisture on the mirror is easy: just wipe it off. Getting rid of moisture in a breath sample is more complex, but can be done with a bit of engineering and Nafion™ tubing. We…
When hearing terms like humidity and relative humidity, people often think about the weather. This is because water vapor has an impact on how humans perceive comfort; both high humidity and low humidity can make people feel uncomfortable. You might already be aware that amount of water vapor present in air can impact how a…
We’ve all crinkled our noses when we’ve caught a whiff of wet clothes that sat in the clothes hamper too long. They smell bad. Our noses are warning us that bacteria are growing in those smelly clothes—and some types of bacteria can be bad for us. Bacteria in Healthcare Settings Bacteria in healthcare settings may…
Moisture matters. Just ask any runner who’s slogged through a steamy afternoon. The same can be said for medical professionals trying to analyze a person’s breath. Here’s what happens. Humidity Can Impact Accuracy and Damage Equipment During medical procedures, an anesthesiologist measures the concentration of carbon dioxide exhaled by a patient. They do this to…