Non-Invasive Ventilation Technology Allows Patient Communication

A disposable microphone that integrates with a non-invasive ventilation (NIV) mask allows clear communication with patients without interrupting therapy.

The ReddyPort (Salt Lake City, UT, USA) ReddyPort Microphone and Controller is a proprietary audio system that is designed to facilitate communication with clinicians and family without requiring NIV mask removal. The microphone, which is matched to an integrated speaker, seals into the ReddyPort Elbow, and uses digital signal processing (DSP) to remove the breathing noises and naturalize the patient’s voice. The controller is used to adjust the volume of the patient’s voice.

The ReddyPort Elbow replaces the standard elbow on a NIV mask in order to provide easy access to the oral cavity, while maintaining the therapeutic pressures required during continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bi-level therapy. The patented self-sealing valve closes with ventilator pressure, self-reverting to the closed position, and also includes an anti-asphyxia valve. The Elbow allows cleaning and moisturizing of the patient's mouth without mask removal, helping to reduce the risk of infection.

“Non-invasive ventilation is often a life-saving patient intervention for respiratory distress, but these ventilation masks create barriers for adequate communication between doctors and patients,” said emergency physician Quinn Snyder, MD, of Banner Desert Medical Center (Mesa, AZ, USA). “As an emergency physician, my ability to obtain accurate and expedient clinical history can often alter the course of treatment. With ReddyPort microphone technology, I am no longer deprived of information I need to care for these critical patients.”

NIV refers to all modalities that assist ventilation without the use of an endotracheal tube. It is primarily aimed at minimizing patient discomfort and the complications associated with invasive ventilation. It is used in cardiac disease, exacerbations of chronic pulmonary disease (CPD), sleep apnea, neuromuscular diseases, and most recently, in hospitalized coronavirus patients. NIV refers only to the patient interface and not the mode of ventilation used; modes may include spontaneous or control modes and may be either pressure or volume modes.

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