Table 2.
Comparison of features and cost of CPAP device categories in use in LMIC.
| Improvised circuits | Low-cost | Medium cost | High cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Required flow source | Oxygen | Pressurized oxygen and air | ||
| Oxygen blending | No | Yes | ||
| Humidification | Passive (bubble bottle) and entrained ambient humidification | Heated humidified air | ||
| Patient interface | Nasal cannula | Hudson prong or RAM cannula | Proprietary prongs, RAM cannula or Hudson prong | Proprietary prongs/mask, RAM cannula or Hudson prong |
| Tubing and interface resistance | High (tubing and nasal prongs) | May include high resistance components | Low | Low |
| Electricity requirement | None for device. Is needed for oxygen concentrator if used and pulse oximeter. | Required | ||
| Consumables | Single use cannula | Single and multi-use components | Single and multi-use components | Single use components |
| Cost (USD) | $1–4 | $20– $800 | $1,000–2,000 | $3,000–6,000+ |
| Example devices | WHO (83) | Vayu (90) | Pumani (91) | Fisher-Paykel (89) |
| PATH (77) | Diamedica (92) | Dolphin (70) | ||
| Polite (93) | Phoenix (71) | |||
Updated from reference (72).