Noninvasive ventilation has become a popular method to treat respiratory issues, particular for older adults who could struggle with intubation or sedation.
Now providers have a new NIV device in their potential toolkit and it’s been designed to rectify some of the problematic issues that users have experienced in the past. ReddyPort received US Food and Drug Administration premarket clearance last week, announced its parent company, also named ReddyPort.
Noninvasive devices have been known to create some complications, including mask discomfort or sinus pain. The new device works to avert them.
The ReddyPort elbow fits onto NIV masks and has a self-sealing valve through which tools can access the patient’s mouth. With its accessories, the ReddyPort can avoid common NIV pitfalls such as dry-mouth and allows for the patient to talk through a microphone, the company claims.
“ReddyPort’s patented elbow is central to the ecosystem we are building to help mitigate clinical obstacles tied to NIV therapy,” ReddyPort CEO Tony Lair said in a statement.
The ReddyPort system has already been used by 45,000 patients successfully under Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization, the company stated.
New NIV equipment could be particularly valuable for older adults. One-third of patients aged 65 or more years die after being put on ventilators, according to a New York Times report.
Although intubation was used frequently to treat patients with respiratory emergencies due to COVID-19, the process damaged lung tissue.
The FDA clearance for ReddyPort could be an indication that NIV coverage is expanding. Past calls by experts to give long-term care residents access to NIV described a “maze” of regulation and obstacles.
Earlier this year, advocates were pushing for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to allow more access to NIV equipment, McKnight’s Home Care reported.
