Know Who Invented CPAP Machine?

The millions of people worldwide who suffered from sleep apnea use CPAP machines. This condition makes more than 18 million Americans suffer but very little knew about sleep apnea. Recently, CPAP has contributed a lot to sleep apnea treatment.

Previously, an invasive procedure called tracheotomy was the only treatment option available for patients with sleep apnea threatening. After years of research and an interest in sleep studies, Dr. Colin Sullivan successfully invented the CPAP machine.

As most significant scientific findings, the invention of the CPAP machine began with curiosity. Dr Colin Sullivan of South Wales associated with Asthma Foundation and David Read, his teacher, was a specialist in sudden child mortality syndrome. Dr. Sullivan spoke to his mentor about SIDS in detail during his time in South Wales.

Both the men agreed that SIDS occurred most probably as the baby slept due to a breathing problem. More research was needed to get to the core of the matter. Dr. Sullivan continued his research at Toronto University. While spending time on researching dogs with respiratory problems, his work bore fruit.

How CPAP Came into Being?

Dogs are known to snore- especially pugs and bulldogs. However, abnormal snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea. Dr. Sullivan had the idea in the process of working with these dogs that piping air through the dog's nose or mouth while they were sleeping could improve this condition. This contributed to an early version of the CPAP system. Dr Sullivan has started testing his new machine for human patients, and the findings were good.

During his diagnosis of a patient in Australia, he first tried his new theory on a human. The patient decreased his therapy and was afraid of being invasive. Dr. Sullivan has created a system with a basic mask, tubing, and even pieces of a vacuum cleaner.

Although the device was not that improvised, it worked well. This first victory led to a number of more patients seeking treatment with Dr. Sullivan. He studied his sleep patterns and devices for his patients during the following year. The results were published in different medical journals, and as the primary cure for sleep apnea, the CPAP devices arrived.

The previous CPAP systems were not as smooth and easy to use as they are today. They were big machines that took up a lot of space. Even in the face of these early-design problems, patients reported sleeping better by using a CPAP machine for just one night.

In medical professionals, CPAP is adopted quickly as a treatment option. The treatment of sleep apnea was much safer, and less invasive. After the machines caught up, the medical supply firms came to know about it. Sleep masks, CPAP machines and other replacement parts began soon to be made.

One important change in the medical field was the more intensive diagnosis of even less severe sleep apnea. It was easier to justify prescribing CPAP machines that would not pose a risk to the patient. CPAP devices are still growing in prevalence today.

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**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.