In August, Philips Respironics issued a safety notice for some of their CPAP, BiPAP, and NIV masks with magnets in them.

Patients who have certain conditions or magnetic implanted devices in their body are being advised by Philips to replace their mask with an alternative. The notification only applies to several models of masks manufactured by Philips Respironics.

The safety notification includes list of several implanted devices and magnetic objects that could be a safety issue for patients using a mask with magnets:

• Pacemaker
• Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)
• Neurostimulator
• Magnetic metallic implants/electrodes/valves placed in upper limbs, torso, or higher (i.e., neck and head)
• Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) shunts (e.g., ventriculoperitoneal [VP] shunt)
• Aneurysm clips
• Embolic coils
• Intracranial aneurysm intravascular flow disruption devices
• Metallic cranial plates, screws, burr hole covers, and bone substitute devices
• Metallic splinters in the eye
• Ocular implants (e.g., glaucoma implants, retinal implants)
• Certain contact lenses with metal
• Implants to restore hearing or balance that have an implanted magnet (such as cochlear implants, implanted bone conduction hearing devices, and auditory brainstem implants)
• Magnetic denture attachments
• Metallic gastrointestinal clips
• Metallic stents (e.g., aneurysm, coronary, tracheobronchial, biliary)
• Implantable ports and pumps (e.g., insulin pumps)
• Hypoglossal nerve stimulators
• Devices labeled as magnetic resonance (MR) unsafe
• Magnetic metallic implants not labeled for MR or not evaluated for safety in a magnetic field

The notification also applies to caregivers, bed partners, and others in close personal contact with a patient using a mask with magnets.

If you have a safety risk that is identified in the notification from Philips Respironics, or have questions about your equipment, please contact your durable medical equipment supplier. Your durable medical equipment supplier will also be able to help identify if you need to replace your current mask.

Patients with questions may contact Philips Respironics' customer service at 1-800-345-6443, (Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET) for more information about non-magnetic mask options. Additional information about the safety notice can be found on Philips' website.