A portable oxygen concentrator has become a “must” for the many people with COPD and who have need to receive supplemental oxygen. At the same time this type of machine is also a godsend for those who assist or live with them.
For both the patient and the caretaker, a lack of oxygen saturation is difficult – the patient has to live with either a shortness of breath and all that this entails, or must receive extra oxygen. Those who assist, and this could be a family member or someone from the medical profession, must also provide help and to do so must know their way around the oxygen machine, in this case a portable oxygen concentrator.
There are some basic differences between an oxygen concentrator and an oxygen tank (either liquid or compressed oxygen) that make for a different approach.
- A portable oxygen concentrator extracts oxygen from the surrounding air. It then delivers the oxygen in a concentrated form, to the patient. An oxygen tank delivers oxygen to the patient from its reservoir or stored oxygen. The basic difference has to do with storage. A tank holds or stores oxygen while a concentrator does not – it delivers the oxygen as it extracts it.
- The difference between a stored and non stored oxygen system has another implication. A tank will deliver the amount of oxygen it stores. The tanks capacity will depend on its size basically and the oxygen will last a limited time – how much exactly will depend on how full the tank is and the delivery rate. For a portable oxygen concentrator, the delivery will last as long as the machine is turned on.
- The next difference also follows on from the previous one. A tank or cylinder that holds oxygen, both compressed or liquid, will deliver oxygen at a certain adjustable rate, based on the pressure being released from the tank. In other words it does not require an additional power source to deliver the oxygen. A portable oxygen concentrator on the other hand delivers the oxygen it is extracting from the air around it and this extraction is possible thanks to its power source that makes the extraction mechanism work. Electricity – be it from a battery or as a result of being plugged in. Portable oxygen concentrators use rechargeable batteries which increases dramatically its possibilities for oxygen delivery and by being plugged in, where many models can also be connected to the car lighter socket for example.
These three basic differences may appear small in nature but in reality are the reason why portable oxygen concentrators have not only become so popular but have also increased the amount and type of activities COPD patients are enjoying. From the point of view of caretakers – especially family members – they are experiencing less demands and have therefore less stress.
In short:
- Longer oxygen supply. Even when not plugged in, the battery option which can go from 2 hours onwards depending on the flow rate and the battery capacity. But with a change of battery the whole cycle begins again.
- The relationship between weight and amount of oxygen that is stored is no longer an issue.
- There is no need for a refill – this being one of the logistic problems and limitations that used happen to everyone on supplemental oxygen before the arrival of portable oxygen concentrators.
- Size and shape make these machines more portable.
- Travel, short distances, long distances or the equivalent in time intervals is much easier. This ease of travel is due to the durability of the oxygen supply and also because public carriers (airplanes, trains and buses) have less restraints than they do for oxygen containers.