Do you suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)? If so, you are among the 22 million Americans who suffer from the condition and rely on CPAP therapy for better sleep. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine designed to help people with OSA breathe better when sleeping.
Without the machine, you may find yourself snoring heavily and waking up several times during the night due to difficulty breathing.
While there are many brands of CPAP machines, healthcare providers mostly prescribe the Philips CPAP machine since it is the most trusted brand.
While the Philips CPAP machine may play such a critical role in your life, you may be concerned to find out it is detrimentally affecting your health as well.
A few months ago, Philips recalled some of its products, including CPAP machines, ventilators, and BiPAP machines, due to the increasing concern that continued use of the devices can lead to cancer and other respiratory issues.
At Legal Giant, we have everything you need to know about Philips CPAP machine recall to ensure you breathe easily and safely throughout the night. Read on to learn more.
How Does a CPAP Machine Work?
To understand how these machines work, you must first learn what sleep apnea is and how it affects your body when you fall asleep. In simple terms, sleep apnea refers to uneven breathing patterns that occur when you are sleeping.
Typically, you will stop breathing and wake up gasping for air. It occurs several times throughout the night and may be accompanied by heavy snoring.
CPAP machines are designed to take air from the room, pressurize it, and carefully push it through a tube to a mask you wear on your face while you are asleep. You can adjust the pressure settings depending on what you prefer.
Each brand of CPAP machine may have slightly different features and designs, but the working mechanism is pretty similar.
For instance, the Philips DreamWear CPAP machine is designed to feel like you are not wearing a mask at all since it features an open-face construction and a relatively flexible over-the-head frame.
Does a CPAP Machine Treat Sleep Apnea?
CPAP machines do not necessarily treat sleep apnea but make you feel comfortable while sleeping so that you don’t have to struggle with the problem.
To make you feel comfortable, a CPAP machine constantly pushes air into your nose through the face mask. The uninterrupted airflow keeps your uvula, tongue, and soft palate from obstructing the airway allowing you to breathe better while sleeping. It also eliminates heavy snoring.
Once you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, your healthcare provider will analyze your condition and recommend the most appropriate CPAP machine. They will then program it with the correct pressure setting and allow you to start using it.
Since this is not something you are used to, it may take some time before you get used to sleeping with your CPAP machine. The pressure setting can always be adjusted depending on your improvement.
The primary goal of the CPAP machine is to improve your sleep quality, eliminate heavy snoring, and make you have less daytime sleepiness.
To achieve better results, you must always use your CPAP machines, including when you take naps.
The Philips CPAP Machine Recall
On June 30, 2021, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety communication about Philips’ voluntary recall of some of its CPAP, BiPAP, and ventilator machines. Philips is one of the largest producers of CPAP machines in the world.
It is estimated that the recall could affect up to four million CPAP machines.
The manufacturer issued the recall after it discovered that the polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) foam used in the devices to reduce sound and vibration could degrade, releasing harmful gasses and particles into the machine’s air pathway.
The manufacturer claims that inhaling or ingesting the chemical gasses or particles could lead to carcinogenic and other toxic effects.
Several cases of people developing cancer after inhaling the gases have been reported, but no deaths have been recorded yet.
Shortly after Philips announced the recall, attorneys began investigating Philips CPAP machine recall lawsuits on behalf of all patients who have been using the recalled devices and were diagnosed with cancer or any other health problem such as respiratory issues.
What Are the Side Effects of Philips CPAP Machine?
Most CPAP side effects are mild but may worsen at some point, especially if you are using one of the recalled machines. These side effects include:
- Runny nose.
- Eye irritation.
- Nosebleeds
- Headaches
- Upper respiratory infections.
- Face marks/rashes.
- Shortness of breath.
- Dry mouth and nose.
However, it is good to mention that some of the machines in the Philips CPAP machine recall list may cause severe side effects related to damaged PE-PUR foam in the devices.
Some of the potential injuries that you may suffer when you ingest or inhale the degraded foam include severe respiratory issues, risk of chemical exposure, increased risk of developing cancer, and toxic effects.
What Should You Do If Your Device Has Been Recalled?
If you own a device that has been included in the Philips CPAP machine recall list, there is no need to panic because the company is already working on a replacement piece of foam to resolve the issue with the degrading foam component.
Philips is also putting together a program to repair or replace all the defective CPAP machines on its recall list.
The manufacturer warns patients against stopping using the recalled devices right away, depending on the severity of their condition.
You should keep in mind that the CPAP machine provides you with the necessary air you need to keep your airway open throughout the night. Therefore, it may be dangerous to stop using your machine if you don’t have an alternative device.
Healthcare experts say that the degraded foam is released extremely slowly, meaning that it could be more dangerous to stop using your CPAP machine completely than to continue using the recalled device.
If you have any questions about whether your CPAP machine is safe for use, make sure you talk to your sleep specialist, who will advise you accordingly.
Join a Philips CPAP Recall Lawsuit Today!
Have you or your loved one used one of the recalled CPAP devices and been diagnosed with cancer or any other related health injury?
You may be eligible to join a Philips CPAP machine recall lawsuit to seek compensation for your damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc.
At Legal Giant, we have a team of experienced attorneys ready to take on Philips and help you recover the rightful compensation you deserve. Talk to us today to find out if you qualify!
