A Portable Oxygen Concentrator is a lightweight unit that can run on AC, DC and battery power. This allows users to remain away from home for indefinite periods of time while using a portable oxygen concentrator. The development of the portable oxygen concentrator has opened endless possibilities for oxygen dependent people. Oxygen patients are free to travel like never before.
Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POCs) have recently burst on the oxygen therapy scene thanks to the FAA ruling allowing them to be used on commercial airline flights. I believe the FAA ruling was due largely to the development of the Inogen One portable oxygen concentrator. Air travel is now a reality for thousands of oxygen dependant people.
The Inogen One was an innovative product but was not the first portable oxygen concentrator in the market. I first became aware of POCs with the development of the Airsep Lifestyle. And while the Lifestyle was also an innovative product, the Inogen One improved substantially on the Lifestyle in a number of areas.
First, Inogen incorporated a telescopic handled cart to make their portable oxygen concentrator easier to transport. Inogen improved on the pulse-dose delivery system, more than tripled the Airsep battery life and improved compressor life by 6 fold (the Lifestyle compressor needs rebuilt at about 3,000 hours and the Inogen One is under warranty for 18,000 hours).
Sequal added the Eclipse to the portable oxygen concentrator market filling a much need void for patients requiring continuous flow oxygen. The Eclipse can provide continuous flow to 3 LPM, which is indespensible for CPAP/BIPAP users and is needed by some patients to provide for their oxygen requirements. The Eclipse can also be set to pulse dose mode and adjusted up to 6 LPM. One downside to the Eclipse is when used in continuous mode the battery life is significantly reduced. On 2 LPM continuous, a fully charged battery only lasts slightly over an hour compared to about 3 hours on 2 LPM pulse dose. If you need to use on continuous flow make sure and carry plenty of batteries. The Eclipse is a larger unit than the rest of the field but remains very portable while incorporating the long compressor life of the Inogen.
SeQual has updated the Eclipse with new software and an improved AC/DC plug system.
In April, 2007 respiratory giant Respironics joined the portable oxygen concentrator market with their offering the EverGo. The EverGo is similarly sized to the Inogen and utilizes pulse dose technology. Like the competitors, the EverGo comes with a telescopic handled cart and can be run on AC, DC and battery power. Respironics has upped the bar on battery power though. The EverGo comes with two batteries each with about an 8-hour battery life on 2 LPM. Additionally, Respironics has a lower price point than the Inogen offering and is similarly priced to the Eclipse. Respironics combination of features, marketing might and renowned customer service should make the EverGo a popular choice for consumers.
Due out the first Quarter of 2008, the Invacare XPO2 will become one of the lightest POCs ( 6 pounds)on the market.
Looking toward the future, with the increasing competition, consumers should see prices come down which will put a portable oxygen concentrator in financial reach of more and more patients. In my opinion the portable oxygen concentrator is the oxygen delivery vehicle of the future and the future is upon us.
Invacare XPO2