Chest Information

• Home
• About Us
• Chest Information
  • Understanding Your Lungs
  • Specific Chest Conditions
  • Tests And Investigations
  • Treatments
    • Drug Treatment
    • Inhalers
    • Nebulisers
    • Oxygen Therapy
      • Oxygen Equipment
      • Long–Term Oxygen Therapy
      • Safety Issues
      • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Living With Your Chest Condition
  • Where To Get Help
  • Chest Glossary
  • Chest Links
• Heart Information
• Stroke Information
• Advice Line
• Publications and DVDs
• Community Support
• Fundraising
• Education, Training and Funding Applications
• Voices Scotland
• Research
• Volunteering
• Health Professionals
• Stroke Chat Scotland

You are in: Home > Chest Information > Treatments > Oxygen Therapy > Oxygen Equipment

Oxygen Equipment

There are different ways that you can receive oxygen therapy; the method used depends on why you need oxygen, how active you are and how much oxygen you need every day.

• Oxygen tubing
• Nasal cannula
• Oxygen cylinders
• Oxygen concentrator
• Portable oxygen
• Oxygen conserver

Oxygen tubing

Oxygen is administered through plastic tubing which is attached to a facemask or a nasal cannula.

Most oxygen appliances have enough tubing to allow you to move around your home.

• Be careful: too much tubing increases the chances of you tripping over.
• Look out for 'kinks' in the tubing which could cut the oxygen off.
• The oxygen tubing should be the correct size, usually about 5mm in diameter, and the connection to the flow meter should be snug.

Back to top

Nasal cannula

A nasal cannula is often used if you need oxygen therapy at home. You wear a 2–pronged tube which delivers oxygen into your nostrils. The part that sits in your nostrils can be washed; the rest of the tubing should be wiped.

• Using a nasal cannula allows for continuous oxygen therapy when eating and drinking. It also makes it easier to talk.
• Nasal cannula are usually only used if you need oxygen at 1–4 litres/min. They cannot be used if you need a high flow rate of oxygen.
• You can get sore ears / nose where the tubing or strapping sits. This can cause quite a nasty sore. You can get oxygen tubing protectors through Health Facilities Scotland or from your Dolby service engineer.

Back to top

Oxygen cylinders

• Oxygen cylinders are large steel canisters filled with compressed oxygen. They come in a variety of sizes. Some can be heavy and awkward to move.
• Each cylinder will have a regulator or flow meter attached to it that will allow you to set your prescribed flow rate.
• The size of the cylinder and the prescribed flow rate will determine how long your cylinder will last.
• Oxygen cylinders are delivered by community pharmacies: you will be advised by your GP practice or respiratory nurse which local pharmacies can provide this service for you.
• You will also be shown how to change the flow meter from the empty, used cylinder to a full cylinder. Make sure you keep an adequate supply of cylinders.
• You will be eligible for an oxygen concentrator if you are using oxygen for more than 8 hours per day.

Back to top

Oxygen concentrator

• An oxygen concentrator is used to provide oxygen if you require more than 8 hours of oxygen a day.
• It is an electrical mechanical device which works by taking air from your room and passing it through a filter that absorbs other gases and concentrates the amount of oxygen it contains. It produces a continuous supply of oxygen: you do not need to store and change cylinders.
• Oxygen is still provided through a facemask or nasal cannula.
• Standard concentrators deliver a range of flows from 1 to 5 litres/min. However, machines are available to provide higher or lower flow rates. There is a built–in flow meter attached to the concentrator, allowing the prescribed flow rate to be set.
• The concentrator should be placed in an area which is well ventilated and away from furniture and walls. It can be quite noisy so it should be sited somewhere where it will not disturb anyone's sleep. All concentrators have wheels on the base if you need to change where you store it. However, enough tubing will be attached to the concentrator to allow you to walk from one end of the house to the other. Be careful with the tubing: if long lengths of tubing are likely to be a hazard, it is possible to arrange what is known as a 'fixed installation'.
• Oxygen concentrators have an air inlet and a filter: make sure that nothing covers these to allow fresh air into the concentrator. Wash the filter every week.

Dolby Medical are contracted by NHS Scotland to provide oxygen concentrators and are responsible for the ongoing servicing, maintenance and repair of concentrators in addition to the initial supply. They have a 24–hour freephone number: 0800 833 531.

Back to top

Portable oxygen

This can be prescribed if you are on long-term oxygen therapy and you are mobile enough to leave the house on a regular basis.

The cylinders are lightweight and small enough to be portable. Your respiratory nurse / doctor can arrange this for you.

Back to top

Oxygen conserver

An oxygen conserver conserves oxygen in order to make the cylinder last longer. It is normally attached to a portable oxygen cylinder, to extend the life of the cylinder. It only releases oxygen when you breathe in. You still achieve your prescribed amount of oxygen but no oxygen is wasted from the cylinder when you are breathing out.

Conserver systems have to be purchased privately and can be quite costly.

Back to top