Reviewed by Cox Tan-Ngo, RRT, Clinical Sleep Solutions
Pros: Improved humidifier system; Improved Latch system to separate humidifier for travel; SD Memory Card storage; Better detection of non-OSA related events; Intuitive toggle dial.
Cons: “Wind Noise”; Lack of a Silencer Cap; Continued presence of the external power Brick
Overall: An improvement to the out-going M-series platform. Despite the larger size, it appears to be well designed and is packed with technology especially with the Remstar Pro and Auto models.
**UPDATE**: Philips Respironics is currently working with Bose to improve or reduce the sound coming from the CPAP to be the quietest in the industry!
The new System One by Philips Respironics is the first CPAP unit developed since Philips Electronics acquired Respironics in 2007. This unit is intended to replace the Remstar M-Series platform which was release in Canada a few years ago.
The new platform boasts a number of new and enhanced technologies available in the M-series model. Available in their usual Remstar Plus, Pro, Auto, and BiPAP models. Continuing with their industry leading Flex Family Technologies. They will have the full line of the C-Flex, A-Flex, and Bi-Flex algorithms available in their standard CPAP, Auto-CPAP, and BiPAP units respectively. In addition to this, however, is the the new C-Flex+ which will be available on the Remstar Pro and the standard CPAP mode of the Auto-CPAP model. For those familiar with the A-Flex technology, it is intended to assist a persons breathing on inspirations as well as relieving some pressure on exhalation to deliver the right pressure throughout the breathing cycle. Most of my patients who have used A-Flex in the past have described the breathing cycle to be smoother and more comfortable when this feature is activated.
Features
One of the biggest problems with the M-Series platform was related to its humidifier. The trend during the time the M-series came out was to reduce the size of the CPAP units for greater portability and to make it more esthetically pleasing to CPAP users. Unfortunately, the reduction of the humidifier chamber resulted in patients drying out the chamber in the middle of the night. This was a problem especially with patients who used higher humidity setting and/or were on higher CPAP pressure levels. The System One has a new humidifier system which has a larger container and thus resulting in the slightly larger appearance to the unit. The humidifier also received some technological enhancements starting with the System One Humidity Control which prevents rainout and maintains consistent humidification by monitoring room temperature and room humidity. The second enhancement is their Dry Box system which is designed to prevent water from flowing back into the unit. In the past, CPAP machines tried to use baffler systems to prevent this from happening but the dry box system takes this a step further and in my opinion, I think they’ve done a very good job with this design. In my review video I’ve tried place the water in the chamber and tried to flip the unit up-side down and there were no problems with water flowing back into the main CPAP unit.
For those who use a Philips Respironics CPAP mask, the new System One Resistance Control is a new feature that compensates for different resistance levels the the different masks produce to once again improve patient comfort and compliance. This technology was only noticeable if you continue to have issues with the perceptions of increased resistance while using a CPAP. Being a long time CPAP user, this was not particularly important but I can see the benefits it may provide to new CPAP users and patients who continue to struggle with this problem due to higher pressure settings. (If you use a mask from another manufacturer, this technology should be turned off)
The data being monitored by the System One CPAPs have also been enhanced to identify clear airway apneas and periodic breathing to immediately identify patients who may need a more specialized form of therapy. After seeing thousand of people who have tried CPAP therapy, there certainly has been a significant number of patient that would’ve benefitted from this type of monitoring. We see more people who struggle and some fail their CPAP trials due to the presence of central sleep apnea, periodic breathing, and/or Complex sleep apneas. Earlier detection of these conditions during the trial will improve success and effective management of these patients.
Performance
The overall performance of the System One Unit has been favorable. The added technologies have certainly addressed some of the problems that plagued the M-series platform. Aside from a “wind noise” coming from the intake of the unit on higher pressures or with “hard” breathing, I found the unit quieter than the M-series. I wished they had a silencer cap like ones in their previous models to reduce that “wind noise” that some patients have noticed. The Flex technology is really a well developed technology and really enhances the patient experience when they have problems with intolerance to pressures produced by the CPAP. One of the most noticeable improvements based on the users point of view is the way the unit is separated from the heated humidifier. It is easier and more practical because it is no longer the necessary to use an adaptor when pulling the unit apart to make it functional. Other practical changes include the use of an SD card memory platform to record data which eliminates the need for a proprietary card reader to download into a computer (Note: The new Encore 2.0 is necessary to download data). Finally the toggle dial system for its operation is more intuitive and eliminates all the buttons from the previous models.
Conclusion
Though the size of the unit has increased when a heated humidifier is used, I feel that this unit is an improvement over the M-series. From a technical and practical point of view, The PR System One’s technological package is difficult to ignore and with the Philips Healthcare’s reputation for quality, this is definitely a CPAP to consider for new and experienced CPAP users.
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To find out more information on the Philips Respironics System One CPAP and Humidifier, talk to a Clinical Sleep Solutions’ representative at 1-877-304-1441 or go to www.clinicalsleep.com
Filed under: CPAP machines, Product Review Tagged: | Philips Respironics System One CPAP Review
