Philips Respironics Porta Neb

The Porta Neb (also written Porta-Neb) was a mains powered portable nebuliser manufactured by Respironics, which is an arm of the Philips Corporation that provides healthcare solutions to hospitals and homes. It is a compressor system designed to provide respiratory therapy by nebulising steroid or antibiotic medication in liquid form. The aerosol produced is capable of delivering 80 % of particles below 5-microns.

This system consists of two main parts, where Porta-Neb is the compressor and the main part, whilst a disposable kit consisting of the mask, tubing, and medication continer forms the other. For hygienic reasons, the disposable parts should not be shared.

There are two types of disposable kits available depending upon the medication one uses, and they are known as Sidestream and Ventstream. The Sidestream kit is for bronchodilators and other anti-inflammatory medications, whilst the Ventstream kit has additional use for inhaled steroids and antibiotics. For the delivery of the medication, there is also the option of using either a face mask, or an angled mouthpiece that also helps reduce the chances of aerosol getting into the eyes. These options are available as separate kits listed in the service manual. One of the most commonly used disposable kits is 4446, which is the Sidestream nebulizer, adult mask, and tubing. These are usually available on-line and at auction sites for around seven pounds. For best performance, the air inlet filter should be changed four times a year, available in a pack of 4 kit 2153A, and the Sidestream medication container once a year.

Review

Just recently I was looking for a replacement nebulizer as my old one that lasted over twenty years finally stopped working. It was a good quality British make which is why it lasted for so long, and therefore I was looking for something equally good that may also have been a model used by the NHS. After all, as I always say that if it is good enough for the NHS, then it is good enough for me. Since I remembered seeing the Porta Neb in hospital, I decided to get this. Due to poverty, I decided to get a pre-used one, which was just within my budget range of twenty-five pounds. This model is one of the early ones, that still has a futuristic look, and I love the integrated compartment for storing the mask and tubes neatly. It has a lovely clean and minimalistic design and the electronic and mechanical engineering are quite simple, as these things go. Inside, there is powerful mains motor that drives an air pump, and apart from the mains switch, some tubes, and air filter, that is all there is to it. Consequently, as long as the motor runs and the pump works, then it runs reliably for many years. In the following pages of this multi-page article you can see the inside design engineering of this unit.

Nebulisers can come in many styles and designs; however this one has a classic design which still looks good. Whilst I was in hospital, I remembered seeing the nurse manually disinfecting the storage compartments of one of these units, and it occurred to me that the next design could be hugely improved if the electrical parts (such as the pump, motor, and switch) were in a separate sealed module that could be detached from the rest of the case. Then the hospital staff could simply use one their industrial washers to have the whole plastic case disinfected, and it would save huge amount of manual labour.

Price/eBay

The Porta Neb is usually for sale at the auction site and the price can vary considerably depending upon the condition. Sadly, this model is discontinued, however new old stock can cost well over one hundred pounds, whilst pre-used ones around the fifty pounds mark. They usually do not come with the mask, medication container, and tube, because these form the disposable components of the system that comes together in a kit. As well as the Philips authorised disposable kits, there are also third party manufacturers that make masks and tubes, so hopefully availability should be good for many years. One advantage of this model is that since it is used in health sectors, the disposable kits are relatively low cost.

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