S9, how excess leaks can interfere with therapy.

[idamtnboy]

The other night I was scanning over my old Resscan data and came across this good example of the effect excess leaks has on the S9's determination of apneas. As you can see there were several apneas, supposedly, but because of the excess leak the S9 scored them as 'Unknown'. The pressure was ramped up to near 12 as a result of the OAs on the left. Looking at the pressure graph you can see the pressure going down just as if there were no apneas and the pressure is slowly ramped down as a result. The unknown apneas were treated as not existing for purposes of pressure adjustment. So there were two effects of the excess leaks, 1) the apneas are not defined as either CA or OA, and 2) they do not affect the pressure.

It's interesting the way the leak goes up and down opposite the flow amplitude. This is the only severe leak night I think I've ever had and what caused it, I don't know, so don't bother to ask. I use a Swift LT mask.

[rocklin]

It's interesting the way the leak goes up and down opposite the flow amplitude.

Yes, I noticed the same.

Leaks change your respiratory volumetrics, and for the worse.

[jamiswolf]

Rocklin wrote: Leaks change your respiratory volumetrics

Man, I really hate it when that happens.

And aren't those fairly well defined CS respirations...and shouldn't that be of more concern?
J

[idamtnboy]

And aren't those fairly well defined CS respirations...and shouldn't that be of more concern?

Don't think so. The graphs I've seen that show typical CSR the breaths start with low flow rate, work up to a max and then taper off. The patterns are fairly smooth. These are more likely OAs. OAs are largely characterized by a a sudden high flow rate restart of breathing.