Portaneb accessories are still available

As you are all becoming aware, the Portaneb was replaced in spring 2014 with the Innospire Deluxe and you can view and purchase that range by clicking HERE.

The Portaneb was trusted by many of you and if not in use everyday then it was dragged out of a wardrobe every winter. Accessories are still available and the sidestream chamber, duratube, face mask, mouthpiece and filters can all be found by clicking HERE. They do need changing regularly if you want your Portaneb to continue giving the you the best therapy it can.

And for those of you who haven't a clue what we're talking about the picture below, although maybe not yet an iconic image, does bring a feeling of affection for many.

Searching for a Portaneb nebuliser?

Are you searching for a Portaneb Sidestream or a Portaneb Ventstream ? 

Philips Respironics as they are now known upgraded the trusty Portaneb in the spring of 2014 to the Innospire Deluxe and it's proving very popular. It still uses Sidestream accessories which are listed HERE only the filters are different but if you scroll down the page we still have Portaneb filters listed under Portaneb accessories.

Whether your Portaneb is a Medic Aid, Profile or Respironics they all now come under the heading of Philips Respironics and if its getting a little tired and you're looking to up date your nebuliser, then you can still have the same quality and confidence in the Innospire Range. 

And if you're still not sure you can email HERE or call us on 01942 701210 Hope this helps.

The Innospire Mini has finally arrived

At last the long awaited portable Innospire Mini from Philips has finally arrived. Here you can see it in all it's glory and by clicking HERE you can check out the finer details. 

Some of you may spot a certain resemblance to an older Philips nebuliser the MicroElite but its bigger and bolder and certainly more powerful. For those of you haven't yet replaced your old Freeway with a Pari Mini it may just fit the bill.

It has a rechargeable battery, mains power which is dual voltage and a car lead. It also comes complete with the Sidestream Plus to provide that extra boost for stickier more viscous medications such as steroids or hypertonic saline 

So have a look HERE. We're pleased its finally arrived and think some of you may be too.

Inspired Inspiration with the Innospire Range

It takes real courage and confidence to change something which to many of you has been a firm favourite for many many years. Well that's just what Philips Respironics have done with the Portaneb Range. The Portaneb has been replaced by the Innospire Deluxe. It still comes in two 'flavours' with the  
Sidestream or Sidestream Plus and having had a couple of demo models here for a while we think it looks pretty modern and quite stylish.

So what possessed Philips to try and reinvent the wheel? Well the new Innospire Deluxe still retains your favourite features such as a smooth running, service free motor, the space to store all your bits and bobs etc., but the case is now more compact and lighter than its predecessor, the on/off rocker switch is  easier to manage and the mains lead is hard wired in which will be a blessing for those of you who struggled to push it in firmly enough or have a habit of misplacing it. The lift up lid now folds back horizontally when your nebulising which will avoid it crashing shut half way through your therapy and as the new Innospire Deluxe  runs beautifully with the Sidestream and Sidestream Plus chambers, that therapy will be as efficient and as effective as always even slightly quicker

We understand you won't all be as excited as us here at Evergreen about the change from the Portaneb range to the Innospire but take a look by clicking HERE, we think you will be pleasantly surprised and with the Philips Respironics brand behind it we feel confident that you will quickly come to appreciate the improvements and in no time at all Innospire will be come a household name.

If its the Inspiration Elite your pinning for the Innospire Essence will be available soon. 

The Sidestream Plus is now available

Slightly earlier than anticipated the Sidestream Plus from Philips Respironics is now available for those of you who need to nebulise steroids or antibiotics.

If you are unsure as to which system would be the best for you, the Sidestream,  the Sidestream Plus or the LC Sprint  from Pari, there is lots of information in this blog, and on our website:
https://evergreen-nebulizers.co.uk/
or simply give us a call on 01942 701210 and we will be happy to help.

Pick and Mix with The Pari Mini

First we had the new Pari Turbo Boy SX, which when combined with the Pari LC Sprint offers you a highly efficient drug delivery system capable of nebulising steroids and antibiotics as well as bronchodilators.

Now Pari have launched the ingenious Pari Mini

Perfect for using at home, this latest addition to the Pari family is dual voltage, petite, quiet and has the capability to nebulise all of your medications, when used with the supplied LC Sprint, wherever you may be. If you want adventures to out of this world destinations or a simple a trip to the shops you only pay for the features you need. So why not pick and mix your accessories, be it a multi volt mains cable to to use in the car or a rechargeable lithium battery so you can nebulise even on the top of a mountain. The Pari Mini is a versatile, practical and affordable addition to the Pari range. For further details or to place an order click HERE

What ever happened to the Ventstream?

It is being replaced by the new durable Sidestream Plus medication chamber from Philips Respironics and is designed for the delivery of inhaled steroids and antibiotics such as Budesonide or Colomycin, as well as bronchodilators such as Salbutomol

It provides you with a faster and more accurate drug delivery by producing up to 68% of the output smaller than 4 microns, enabling more of the medication to reach your lower airways. However the real benefit of the Sidestream Plus is that the low-resistance one-way valve means it responds to your breathing pattern ensuring you get more drug on inspiration and waste less on expiration. 

It can be sterilised by boiling and gives a consistent performance for at least a year. Supplied complete with a vent hose and with an option of a filter attachment with filter pads which minimises aerosol going into the atmosphere, protecting members of the family from breathing in your medication which is particularly important when you are nebulising antibiotics or steroids.

Why not take a look at the new Innospire Deluxe Sidestream Plus 
https://evergreen-nebulizers.co.uk/philips-innospire-deluxe-nebuliser

 

Nebulisers for Children

Generally, hospitals do not advocate the use of home nebulisers for children as it is often considered clinically safer for children who need nebuliser therapy to be treated in a setting where other vital signs such as oxygen levels and heart rate can be monitored. In the past research has shown that having a nebuliser at home can also lead to a tendency for parents to rely too heavily on them which can result in a delay in seeking medical attention.

However a Consultant, G.P. or Specialist Nurse may prescribe medication for home use if certain guidelines or protocols are followed.

Nebulisers for children are most beneficial when large inhaled drug doses or pulmonary therapy is required, if children are too unwell or unable to co-ordinate drug delivery devices, or when specific medications are unavailable in hand held devices and a wider choice is needed.

So which to choose?

The majority of our nebulisers come with a child mask included and for those that don’t this can be added on request free of charge. Your choice will be influenced by the type of medication prescribed, how often your child may need nebuliser therapy and how portable you need the nebuliser to be. More advice about choosing a suitable unit to fit your child and your lifestyle can be found  by clicking HERE 

Children with cystic fibrosis or certain other respiratory disorders who may require a home nebuliser for more specialist medications should have contact with a Cystic Fibrosis Specialist Nurse or a Specialist Respiratory Nurse as they may require an alternative type of nebuliser. To check out our full range click HERE

If you’re confused or worried at all about your child there is lots of independent advice available and if you just need a little help making that final decision then why not give us a call on 01942 701210 or if you prefer you can email or leave a comment below

Nebulising Saline

Can you sing?

We can’t or at least not very well. 

Recent research however shows that after nebulising isotonic saline Sopranos can sing more effortlessly and as a matter of fact over the years we have had occasional calls from exotic visiting entertainers needing a nebuliser to assist their performance. 

This research no doubt has a more serious aspect and is part of a ‘dehydration challenge’ where dry air and sterile water were used for comparison and although the results were noticeable, the benefit was only short term which helps explain why some of you will be prescribed saline at regular intervals. 

So what is Isotonic saline? 

Its basically sterile salt water at a concentration of 0.9% and often referred to as normal saline. It has many medical uses, nebulisation being just one, but for those of you with a tracheostomy or laryngectomy it can be vital to prevent sticky secretions blocking your airway.

Sticky mucus secretions in lower airways can cause serious long term issues in many chest conditions . They are difficult to clear by coughing and can lead to frequent recurrent chest infections, lung damage and often exhaustion from over coughing and lack of sleep. 

Treatment is very individual and can range from being recommended a simple oscillating PEP device such as the Flutter or the Shaker, regular nebulisation with normal saline, to a complex therapeutic regime  which may include chest physic, mucolytics, inhaled bronchodilators, antibiotics or steroids. 

So what is Hypertonic saline ?

As part of your therapeutic regime many of you are prescribed hypertonic saline. This is a stronger concentration of sterile salt solution which can be anything from 3% to 7%. 

It has been used over the years to treat many chest conditions such as bronchiolitis,  bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis, and it has helped to the reduce the number of recurrent chest infections and improve lung function for some of you over the short term. However the research is still very much ongoing and where some of you find it beneficial, for others it is not appropriate or you may find it unhelpful. Your health practitioner may suggest a short term trial. 

As to which nebuliser to chose? You may find the hypertonic saline more difficult to nebulise due to its higher concentration of salt, therefore long term a slightly more powerful unit may be more appropriate or one with a specialised chamber. You can view our full range by clicking HERE 
There will almost certainly be more residual salt so cleaning the accessories will need extra attention and you can click on the red links for more advice.

If wish to chat about which nebuliser may be more appropriate or you can recommend a particular unit for others, please give us a call on 01942 701210, email HERE or post below. 

What is the new Sidestream Plus?

It is the new generation of Ventstream.

A reusable jet nebuliser system specifically designed for the delivery of inhaled steroids and antibiotics. It produces a consistent high quality mist of which nearly 70% is less than 4 microns, it reduces treatment times and responds to your breathing pattern. 

So what are the benefits of using a specialist nebuliser system such as the LC Sprint or Sidestream Plus for nebulising steroids and antibiotics? 

Inhaled steroids and antibiotics are often stickier than standard nebuliser medication and can take longer to nebulise.  Because of this you need either a high powered unit or a specialist medication chamber to speed up your treatment time making life better for you and putting less strain on your compressors motor.

Does size matter? In the nebuliser world it does. The smaller the micron size of the mist means a greater percentage of your medication reaches your lower airways which is where you want it to be, not lost in your mouth or stomach. 

The LC Sprint nebuliser chamber is also often recommend by many health professionals to those of you who nebulise steroids or antibiotics and when teamed with the Pari TurboBoy Pari Mini or Pari Boy Mobile S it proves to be very efficient and effective when tested by independent experts. 

Both systems are breath activated which means you receive more medication when you breathe in and waste less when breathing out, but this does mean getting used to a mouthpiece. If this does prove tricky then choose a high pressure machine but you may run the risk of environmental contamination or in other words sticky antibiotic settling all over your furniture or even worse your nearest and dearest breathing in your excess medication.

You can see the Pari LC Sprint here:

https://evergreen-nebulizers.co.uk/blog/why-choose-pari

And the Sidestream Plus here:
https://evergreen-nebulizers.co.uk/blog/nebulising-antibiotics

Most health professionals recommend for nebulising steroids and antibiotics you use a closed system. This can be either the exhaust hose which comes with the Sidestream Plus or the filter and filter pads which can be bought for either design. 

For some of you this may never be a concern as standard medications can mostly be nebulised safely with mask or mouthpiece and the major manufactures put a great deal of effort and technology into ensuring you get an efficient effective therapy whether that is delivered by medication chamber design or a high pressure unit. 

As always your health professional will be able to advise which system will be better suited to the medication you are prescribed but if we can help at all please give us a call 01942 701210 or to drop us an email click HERE. 

Portable nebulisers for nebulised antibiotics and steroids

Small but still powerful. 

We often hear the MicroAir and the Innospire Go described as “little gems” and that some of you just couldn’t manage to live a normal life or have a holiday without them. Sadly not everyone is as fortunate and for those of you who have to nebulise steroids or antibiotics a portable nebuliser may mean choosing from the “bricks’ 

So what is available? 

Probably the smallest and most versatile is them all is the Pari Boy Mobile S. Even with its rapid charging lithium battery it only weighs in at just over 500 g. It can be used from the mains electric anywhere in the world and comes with 12 volt DC lead for the car. When used with Pari LC sprint chamber it is capable of efficiently nebulising just about all medications. And now, its even better, as from August 2012 you can pick and choose your accessories with the Pari Mini Click HERE to view.

Don’t be put off travelling with a nebuliser. The holiday companies spend a lot of money this time of year encouraging us to believe anything or anywhere is possible. If your thinking Truro, Tenerife or even Tobago be realistic but optimistic and remember you are the Expert Patient. To check out just which will suit you and your pocket best, click HERE