Health Canada has posted a recall alert from Philips announcing that some of their ventilators and CPAP machines may pose a risk to patients because a foam used in the products has been found to degrade and could potentially be inhaled into the lungs of patients.
The recall, posted last month, affects “Philips Respironics branded Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure (BIPAP), and Mechanical Ventilators,” according to the statement.
The recall was announced because user reports have shown that a polyurethane foam which is intended cut down on sound from continuous and non-continuous ventilators can “degrade under certain circumstances,” at which point particles could “enter the air pathway of the device.”
The foam used may also emit “certain chemicals,” according to the recall. Philips performed testing that found that these chemicals are emitted at the start of operation, but may continue to be emitted throughout the device’s use.
On Philips’ website, they state that the risks from exposure to chemical emissions include headache and dizziness, irritation of the skin, eyes and throat, nausea and vomiting, and carcinogenic effects.
The company added that they have had no reports of serious harm as a result of product use, but have received reports of “headache, upper airway irritation, cough, chest pressure and sinus infection.”
High heat and humidity may play a part in the degradation of the foam.
The recall is labelled as a Type ll hazard, which is defined as a situation where “the use of, or exposure to, a product may cause temporary adverse health consequences,” which seriously averse health consequences considered only a remote possibility.
Many of these products are used for issues such as sleep apnea, but others are considered life-sustaining devices.
Because the issue is with the foam used to manufacture the ventilators, the problem can’t be isolated with certain serial numbers — all devices with this foam are affected.
The affected product list is:
The recall provides a full list of the model or catalog numbers on the affected products, as well as where they were manufactured. All were made in the U.S.
In a statement on the recall, Philips Respironics said anyone using BiLevel PAP and CPAP devices should discontinue use and work with doctors to find another avenue for further treatment.
The company added that any patients who are using life-sustaining mechanical ventilator devices should not stop using them without consulting their physician first. If a physician recommends continuing with the ventilator due to lack of other options, an inline bacterial filter can be installed to help protect the patient.
In July, the Canadian Thoracic Society, Canadian Sleep Society and the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists released a joint statement on the recall to help guide physicians, where they noted that “globally, the number of units affected is in the millions.”
There could be issues with the positive airway pressure device supply in the future because of this, the statement added.
“If devices do become scarce, triaging of the devices for both replacement and new prescriptions might become necessary,” the statement reads.
They point out that there can be issues with sleep apnea patients abruptly ceasing CPAP or Bi-Level PAP and state that the “decision to continue or interrupt treatment must be individualized and consider disease severity.”
“Life-sustaining ventilator users will need to continue using the affected machines until such time as a replacement machine unaffected by this recall can be obtained or the affected device can be repaired/replaced,” the statement said.
Philips has said they are working on replacing the sound abatement foam and correcting the issue.
Track COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and wastewater numbers across Canada
How do Canadian provinces and territories compare to American states?
Curious how different countries are faring? Chart and compare the curves using our interactive graphs
Sign up to receive the most important updates in your inbox two times a week
Salman Rushdie, whose novel 'The Satanic Verses' drew death threats from Iran's leader in the 1980s, was stabbed in the neck and abdomen Friday by a man who rushed the stage as the author was about to give a lecture in western New York.
Anne Heche remains on life support and under evaluation for organ donation after a car crash that led to her brain death, a representative for the actor said Friday.
The FBI recovered documents that were labelled 'top secret' from former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers released Friday after a federal judge unsealed the warrant that authorized the unprecedented search this week.
A plane bound for Toronto has been forced to divert to Iceland after a Canadian man allegedly became violent and tried to open the aircraft door mid-air.
Canadian Adam Oake is among volunteers delivering aid to civilians in Ukraine, but he says donations are drying up and he's issuing a plea for help.
Canadian universities reported record-high surplus revenues in wake of the pandemic as schools took advantage of last year's strong stock market performance.
Despite a police misconduct probe that found a high-ranking B.C. officer had stalked and harassed his ex-girlfriend for years, a criminal investigation into the case did not result in charges.
Canada plans to start testing wastewater for poliovirus in a number of cities “as soon as possible” following new reports of cases abroad, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed on Friday.
A man went on a shooting rampage in the streets of this western Montenegro city Friday, killing 10 people, including two children, before being shot dead by a passerby, officials said.
Despite a police misconduct probe that found a high-ranking B.C. officer had stalked and harassed his ex-girlfriend for years, a criminal investigation into the case did not result in charges.
The City of Iqaluit has declared a state of emergency due to a water shortage.
Canadian Adam Oake is among volunteers delivering aid to civilians in Ukraine, but he says donations are drying up and he's issuing a plea for help.
A group challenging Quebec's new language law logged a first legal victory against the legislation on Friday, as a judge temporarily suspended a provision requiring English court documents to be translated into French.
The conviction of Aydin Coban for the “sextortion” of British Columbia teenager Amanda Todd has prompted calls from lawyers and advocates for more regulation, resources and education in Canada to protect future victims.
An evacuation alert has been rescinded for about two dozen properties near a stretch of Highway 3 in British Columbia's Interior, where a vehicle fire appeared to have spread to nearby grasses and started burning up a mountainside.
The FBI recovered documents that were labelled 'top secret' from former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers released Friday after a federal judge unsealed the warrant that authorized the unprecedented search this week.
The FBI is investigating an "unprecedented" number of threats against bureau personnel and property in the wake of the search of former president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, including some against agents listed in court records as being involved in the recent search, a law enforcement source tells CNN.
A man went on a shooting rampage in the streets of this western Montenegro city Friday, killing 10 people, including two children, before being shot dead by a passerby, officials said.
Salman Rushdie, whose novel 'The Satanic Verses' drew death threats from Iran's leader in the 1980s, was stabbed in the neck and abdomen Friday by a man who rushed the stage as the author was about to give a lecture in western New York.
A wildfire on Hawaii's Big Island grew overnight as firefighters worked to contain the large blaze that is burning in a rural area between the Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes.
The night before the federal government invoked the Emergencies Act in response to the 'Freedom Convoy' protests, the prime minister’s national security adviser told him there was 'a potential for a breakthrough' in Ottawa, court documents show.
Former British Columbia premier Christy Clark is endorsing Jean Charest to be the next leader of the federal Conservatives at a time when she says the party is running to the extremes.
A group challenging Quebec's new language law logged a first legal victory against the legislation on Friday, as a judge temporarily suspended a provision requiring English court documents to be translated into French.
Canada plans to start testing wastewater for poliovirus in a number of cities “as soon as possible” following new reports of cases abroad, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed on Friday.
Three community organizations will receive a combined total of $550,000 from the federal government to raise awareness and reduce stigma about monkeypox.
The virus that causes polio has been found in New York City's wastewater in another sign that the disease, which hadn't been seen in the U.S. in a decade, is quietly spreading among unvaccinated people, health officials said Friday.
Last month was the Earth’s sixth-warmest July on record in 143 years, according to the U.S. federal agency that studies oceans, the atmosphere, and coastal areas.
Chinese tech giant Huawei said Friday its revenue fell in the first half of 2022 but new ventures in autos and other industries helped to offset a decline in smartphone sales under U.S. sanctions.
Meta's new chatbot can convincingly mimic how humans speak on the internet: for better and worse.
Anne Heche remains on life support and under evaluation for organ donation after a car crash that led to her brain death, a representative for the actor said Friday.
Canadian punk rock band Teenage Head has said they will go forward with their upcoming shows following the murder of founding member and guitarist Gord Lewis.
The family of country singer Naomi Judd filed a court petition Friday to seal police reports and recordings made during the investigation into her death.
Telus Corp. wants to pass on credit card fees to customers and plans to add a 1.5 per cent 'processing fee' starting this fall.
Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. have signed a definitive agreement with Quebecor Inc. that will see the Montreal-based telecom company acquire wireless carrier Freedom Mobile Inc.
Peloton is laying off employees and raising prices for some of its equipment as part of its latest bid to make the business profitable and free up cash.
A Vancouver man is the first outside of the United States to be made president of a very specific group: the Society of American Magicians.
Canadians will soon be able to carry a piece of national music history in their wallets with the launch of a coin commemorating legendary jazz pianist Oscar Peterson.
According to a U.K. study of the dynamics between humans and domesticated cats, the most experienced cat owners often gave more unwanted attention to the animals.
Casper Ruud managed to get his racket on an overhead smash late in Friday's quarterfinal against Felix Auger-Aliassime, eliminating the Canadian from the National Bank Open.
Simona Halep is a two-time National Bank Open champion, last winning the Canadian title in 2018. But the 30-year-old says she's an entirely different person now.
Tom Brady is taking some time away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to 'deal with personal things,' according to the team's head coach Todd Bowles.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation has opened a query into seat belt pretensioners on certain 2020-2022 Kia/Hyundai vehicles, saying that they may rupture or explode.
A cleaning service employee who was working at a General Motors plant in Michigan was killed Thursday during an altercation with a co-worker, authorities said.
Gasoline prices in the U.S. dipped to just under the US$4 mark for the first time in more than five months -- good news for consumers who are struggling with high prices for many other essentials.
© 2022 All rights reserved. Use of this Website assumes acceptance of Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy