For a patient in Sundsvall that SVT has met, it feels like choosing between plague and cholera.
She has the equipment to avoid serious illnesses but risks becoming ill if she uses it.
- I have to choose between whether I should have a heart attack or cancer, she states a bit pointedly.
Serious injuries
In Sweden alone, there are 60,000 devices.
In a so-called safety message to the Medical Products Agency, Philips writes that this type of equipment contains a foam that can enter the respiratory tract.
It can lead to serious injuries that can be life-threatening, according to the message.
Patients are at risk of being exposed to substances suspected of being carcinogenic.
However, no deaths have been reported.
To be replaced
The company Philips has announced that the equipment will be replaced, but it will take time before that happens.
The healthcare system estimates that the risks are small and that the devices can continue to be used for patients in need while waiting for new equipment.
This is one of the models of home respirators that the manufacturer warns against.
Photo: Fredrik Israelsson / SVT
According to the Medical Products Agency, which is responsible for the supervision of the equipment, those who have a home respirator and are worried should contact the person who prescribed the equipment.
- The care and the patient should together arrive at what is best for the individual, says Helena Henriksson at the Medical Products Agency.
In the video, the patient in Sundsvall talks about the anxiety and uncertainty with the breathing equipment.