The maker of several ventilator products used by patients with sleep apnea has issued a recall for certain devices after receiving reports about associated health risks. The company, which manufactures certain mechanical ventilators that have a particular type of potentially hazardous sound abatement foam, issued the recall after patients across Illinois and the nation said they experienced a range of dangerous side effects.
The product manufacturer, Philips, recalled three sleep apnea devices containing the questionable sound abatement foam. The manufacturer stressed that the recall was voluntary and that, to date, complaints about the products came from 0.03% of users.
Product risks
Some of the patients who complained to the sleep apnea device manufacturer after experiencing side effects developed headaches or inflammation after using the devices. Other users experienced more severe and potentially deadly complications, such as respiratory issues. Others yet noted that the products had carcinogenic effects and exposed users to high levels of potentially cancer-causing chemicals.
In some cases, particles from the sound abatement foam used in the sleep apnea devices may enter the air pathways of the device. When this occurs, users may ingest or inhale them. Using certain methods to clean the device may also exacerbate health risks.
Product history
Rumors have swirled about the risks associated with using sleep apnea devices containing sound abate foam for some time now. In a 2021 first-quarter earnings report, the product manufacturer noted that it was experiencing quality issues with some of its sleep apnea and respiratory products. It noted that it would continue to investigate reports of side effects.
The product manufacturer saw its stock fall quite a bit in the wake of announcing the recall effort.
