Oxygen conservation and oxygen-conserving devices in chronic lung disease. A review.

The efficacy of long-term oxygen therapy for hypoxemic COPD patients is well established. However, oxygen is expensive and the portability of home oxygen is limited by the weight and bulk of the oxygen source. As a result, there has been a recent surge of interest in creating oxygen-conserving devices and methods. The efficiency of oxygen therapy can be improved over steady flow delivery by focusing oxygen delivery to early inspiration. Three methods for improving oxygen delivery efficiency--transtracheal catheter, reservoir cannula and demand-pulse oxygen delivery--are currently available for patient use. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. By using oxygen conservation methods, the oxygen required to achieve adequate blood oxygenation can be reduced by a factor of 2:1 to 7:1 compared to steady flow. Thus, the cost of oxygen can be substantially reduced while increasing the portability and range of home oxygen therapy.