Unit Lets Residents Breathe Easier

The Spectrum–St George, UT– May 16, 2006 – By Rachel Tueller

Until recently, a simple trip to Colorado was a complicated event for John Clark and his wife, Janice. Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease required John to carry numerous bottles of oxygen when traveling while relying on a large stationary concentrator for in-home use.

But a new lightweight, portable oxygen concentrator system, Inogen One, changed things for Clark.
"It's made his life a whole lot easier.  He doesn't have to carry bottles or anything," said Janice Clark.  "It goes where he goes.  He wheels it out to the car and he doesn't have to have a big concentrator."

The unit, weighing in at approximately 20 pounds and a height of 10 inches, is comparable in size to today's current mobile tanks, but satisfies both a stationary need for oxygen in the home as well as mobility, combining the services of two different systems in one.

Individuals can take the unit with them or step away from the base unite, still connected through as much as 100 feet of tubing, a switch from the traditional in-home stationary concentrators weighing up to 50 pounds.

The system delivers oxygen on a pulse system.  When the patient inhales, the device is triggered and administers a measured dose — five liters — of oxygen.

Use of the system is highly dependent on the severity of lung disease so approximately 20 percent of all patients, who require a greater dose of oxygen or a continuous flow as the traditional concentrators offer, might not qualify for system use.

But those who do will enjoy an increased quality of life and greater mobility.

"It provides the patient with much more mobile freedom than some of they typical systems out right now.  If you have electricity you have oxygen," said Roger Campbell, cardio-pulmonary services director with Mountain Land Rehabilitation at Red Cliffs Regional Rehabilitation Center.

The biggest advantage to the Inogen system is extended travel, said Petersen Medical CEO Tom Bradley.

"Most traditional units require patients to stay within four to eight hours of home to refill.  It's battery powered and can recharge with any outlet or cigarette lighter (outlet)," said Bradley.

The FAA-approved unit is also flight friendly.

"People can jump on the airplane with it without any hassles — it's a green light," said Campbell.

"It makes me breathe a lot easier," said John Clark.  "I have oxygen any time I want.  It's the best thing I ever had and the company is really good about taking care of it."