REVIEW ARTICLE Oxygen conserving devices and methodologies

Collective experience with pulmonary rehabilitation and disease management has shown that patients with lung diseases including COPD and restrictive lung diseases live a longer and more productive quality of life if they can remain active. Patients who require oxygen supplementa-tion but can otherwise be active should have the most portable and non-encumbering systems possible. Oxygen conserving devices have made a high level of portability possible. Small gas, liquid and even some concentrators have replaced the 20 pound E cylinder with 4 and 5 pound systems. In a parallel physiological development, exercise plus oxygen increases the physiologi-cal benefits of exercise and thereby enhances the patient’s ability to function in life. This paper examines available options and their mechanical and physiological foundations. Chronic Respiratory Disease 2008; 5: 109–114 Key words: oxygen conserving devices; exercise; nocturnal; therapeutic oxygen; transtracheal; reservoir cannula; long term oxygen; demand oxygen delivery devices; chronic obstructive pul-monary disease Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and restrictive lung disease endure a slowly progres