There is alarming news for anyone who suffers from sleep apnea. A medical device that is most commonly used to treat the condition may actually pose a serious risk to your health. One of the leading manufacturers of CPAP machines and ventilators has just issued a voluntary recall for many of their most popular devices because the machines may increase a person’s risk of developing cancer or other serious medical conditions.
When a medical device poses a danger to patients, who can they turn to for information and help? The answer is the experienced legal team at Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP. At our firm, our Alabama defective medical device attorneys have the skills and resources to help fight for you and protect your rights when negligence on the part of a major company puts your health at risk.
If you use a Philips CPAP machine to help you breathe, talk to your doctor right away and contact the team at Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP. You may be entitled to financial compensation. Call us today at (205) 324-1212 for a free consultation, and let’s talk about your situation.
What Is a CPAP Machine and What Is It Used For?
A continuous positive airway pressure machine, more commonly referred to as a CPAP machine, is a medical device that is typically prescribed by physicians to treat sleep apnea disorders. There are several different classifications of sleep apnea, including obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, and complex sleep apnea syndrome.
Sleep apnea, in general, is a condition that causes the body to stop breathing periodically through the night. Breathing can be compromised when the throat or other airway collapses or there is a temporary blockage or obstruction of an airway. Sleep apnea can also occur due to disruptions in the signals being sent to the brain that control breathing. Sleep apnea can cause a person to wake up multiple times a night, choke or gasp through the night, and prevent a person from getting to sleep or staying asleep.
Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition that can significantly impact a person’s health and well-being. The condition can lower the body’s oxygen levels, cause daytime fatigue, lead to high blood pressure or heart problems, may increase a person’s risk for developing diabetes, and cause certain types of metabolic syndromes. One way physicians help patients combat the effects of sleep apnea is by prescribing CPAP machines.
A CPAP machine is a device that is typically compact enough to sit on a nightstand or bedside table. It can produce a steady stream of pressurized air that is delivered to an individual throughout the night via a tube that connects to a mask. The mask is worn over the nose, mouth, or sometimes both, and can help keep airways open and deliver a sufficient supply of oxygen to the lungs.
How Can the Recalled CPAP Machines Negatively Impact Your Health?
Philips is a Dutch manufacturing company and one of the leading producers of CPAP devices. As of June 14, 2021, Philips issued a voluntary recall of some of their most popular CPAP machines, Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure (Bi-Level PAP) machines, and mechanical ventilator devices. The recall targets certain machines made by the company that may pose a significant risk to the health of individuals relying on the machine to help them breathe at night.
The company uses a certain type of polyester-based polyurethane foam in their machines to help suppress the noise that the machine emits. However, this foam can off-gas and degrade over time. As the foam degrades, small foam particles and chemicals may make their way through the machine and into a person’s airway. Inhaling these types of chemicals and small particles can be toxic and increase a person’s risk of developing cancer.
This recall impacts as many as three to four million CPAP machines and ventilators. One news source finds that almost two-thirds of all Philips CPAP machines are sold in the United States, potentially putting thousands of people at risk of developing cancer or other health-related issues. Some of the potential risks of inhaling the chemicals and foam particles include:
- Cancer
- Headache
- Airway irritation
- Inflammation
- Nausea or vomiting
- COPD
- Asthma
- Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Pulmonary Damage
Models Impacted by the Recall
Philips has several different products on the market. That can make it hard to tell if your device is one of the machines impacted by the recall. To date, this is a list of products made by Philips which are impacted by the recall:
- All Philips CPAP machines manufactured before April 26, 2021
- All Philips Bi-Level PAP machines manufactured before April 26, 2021
- Philips Continuous Ventilator model E30
- Philips Continuous Ventilator DreamStation ASV
- Philips Continuous Ventilator DreamStation ST, AVAPS
- Philips Continuous Ventilator SystemOne ASV4
- Philips Continuous Ventilator C Series ASV, S/T, AVAPS
- Philips Continuous Ventilator OmniLab Advanced Plus In-Lab Titration Device
- Philips Non-Continuous Ventilator SystemOne Q Series
- Philips Non-Continuous Ventilator DreamStation CPAP, Auto CPAP, BiPAP
- Philips Non-Continuous Ventilator DreamStation GO CPAP, APAP
- Philips Non-Continuous Ventilator Dorma 400, 500 CPAP
- Philips Non-Continuous Ventilator REMStar SE Auto CPAP
- Philips Mechanical Continuous Ventilator Trilogy 100
- Philips Mechanical Continuous Ventilator Trilogy 200
- Philips Mechanical Continuous Ventilator Garbin Plus, Aeris, Lifevent
- Philips Mechanical Continuous Ventilator A-Series BiPAP Hybrid A30
- Philips Mechanical Continuous Ventilator A-Series BiPAP V30 Auto
If you are uncertain if your machine is on the recall list, talk to your doctor about your concerns immediately. Philips and the Food and Drug Administration recommend that patients who use Bi-Level PAP and CPAP machines on the recall list discontinue using the device. For those that are using life-sustaining ventilator devices, do not stop using your machine. Talk to your doctor about your options.
If you have developed concerning symptoms and believe they may be related to the use of your CPAP machine, talk to your doctor right away about your symptoms. You should also consult with an experienced defective medical device attorney. You could be due financial compensation for the damage this unsafe medical device has done to your health.
A Defective Medical Device Attorney Is Ready to Help You
Sleep apnea is a dangerous condition that can impact almost every aspect of your life. Add to that the stress and anxiety of knowing that the device that is supposed to help make you feel better could actually be making you feel worse. Medical device manufacturers have a duty to ensure that the products they sell are both safe and effective. When negligence leads to a failure of this duty, the company should be held accountable for their actions, actions that may have resulted in a significant health problem for you or someone you love.
If you believe your health has been negatively impacted by a Philips CPAP machine, the experienced Alabama defective medical device attorneys with Farris, Riley & Pitt, LLP can help. At our firm, we pride ourselves on helping victims impacted by defective medical equipment nationwide get the compensation and justice that they deserve.
For more information on whether you have a case against Philips and how we may be able to help, contact us today by calling (205) 324-1212. We offer a free consultation to help get you started down the road to justice.
