Life 2000 (breathing apparatus)

2023: Equipment Scrap

On March 10, 2023, Baxter International reported a defect in breathing equipment. Marriage leads to insufficient oxygen saturation of the blood, which can result in irreversible consequences for patients and even death.

The problem affects the Life 2000 breathing apparatus manufactured by Hillrom, which Baxter acquired at the end of 2021 for about $10.5 billion. The portable device is designed to support patients' breathing at home. It does not require a mask, and the battery charge lasts for about six hours of operation. The device weighs less than 500 g; during wearing, it can be fastened, for example, on a belt.

Life 2000

As reported in a notice on the website of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), problems with the use of Life 2000 can be observed if the device is connected to a third-party oxygen concentrator. A lack of oxygen can occur if the hoses of the system are bent, there is too much moisture in them, or they have been modified in some way.

Low blood oxygen saturation can reportedly lead to symptoms such as shortness of breath, confusion, palpitations or bluish skin. Moreover, the problem can provoke severe irreversible consequences or death. Cases of hospitalization of patients due to this defect are known, but fatal episodes have not been reported.

The FDA notice says patients can continue to use the Life 2000 machine, subject to system review recommendations and preventive care requirements. Baxter said it was monitoring the situation and exploring possible ways to address the problem.^[1]

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