The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Spirometer: Everything You Need to Know

Patients who have trouble breathing frequently visit a medical professional who will need to assess the influence of various factors such as contaminants on lung function or medicines on respiratory health.

One of the important pieces of equipment that the doctor uses in carrying out this assessment is a spirometer, thereby making it an essential device for several hospitals and healthcare facilities.

If you are in the market for a spirometer, there are certain things you need to know before making your purchase. In this blog post, we will discuss everything you need to know about buying a spirometer!

What is a Spirometer?

A spirometer is a medical device that is used to measure the volume and flow of air exhaled from the lungs. This is a valuable tool for diagnosing and monitoring respiratory conditions.

It is the most important piece of equipment for performing basic Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs). The tests may exclude lung illnesses such as emphysema, asthma, and bronchitis.

A spirometer is frequently used to determine the source of shortness of breath, evaluate the impact of pollutants on respiratory function, assess the influence of medications on lung function, and monitor diseases that affect respiratory health.

Components of a typical Spirometer

The basic components of a spirometer are the mouthpiece, a hose or tube, and an electronic device to measure flows and calculate spirometry parameters.

Spirometer Uses/Applications

Doctors use spirometers to document these measurements:

• Forced vital capacity (FVC) i.e The total amount of air a patient can exhale from their lungs.
• Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1): The amount of air a patient can exhale in the first second of the test.
• Vital capacity (VC): The maximum amount of air that a patient can exhale when blowing out as fast as possible
• FEV1/FVC ratio
• Peak expiratory flow (PEF): The most amount of air that a patient can exhale while blowing out evenly.
• Inspiratory vital capacity (IVC): The maximum amount of air that can be inhaled by a patient after a complete expiration.

Types of Spirometer

There are a variety of spirometers available with the capacity to measure differing parameters. However, the basic classifications which these spirometers fall into are volume-measurement spirometers and flow-measurement spirometers.

Flow-Measurement Spirometers

This is the most widely used type of spirometer. These devices have no moving parts, have good frequency characteristics, and are easy to automate, but because the volume is calculated by time integration, calibration is difficult.

Linearity can also be an issue if the flow is not laminar, and the devices might be contaminated with the patient's sputum or moisture, which condenses on the mesh.

To avoid this issue, the mesh is generally heated and a filter may be utilized. An ultrasonic flow-head is found in many modern spirometers. They have no moving parts, no resistance (nothing is blocking the flow), and excellent frequency characteristics. These spirometers have one disadvantage: they are often more expensive.

Volume-Measurement Spirometers

There are two types of volume-measurement spirometers i.e wet and dry spirometers.

Wet spirometers are very accurate for critical variables such as FEV 1 and the VC because they directly measure volume. They're easy to use, require no electronics, and there's a quick view of the values recorded.

However, these gadgets are largely no longer in production and have a restricted set of features, as well as the drum's inertia, which might result in an overrun of the measurements measured.

Dry spirometers have superior frequency characteristics and are easier to automate, but they are also quite rare.

Factors to Consider Before Buying a Spirometer

Before purchasing a spirometer, here are the important things to take note of

Your Hospital Needs

Spirometers range from PC-based to handheld and it is important to understand which style of spirometer will best suit your needs.

Handheld spirometers are restricted in their capabilities since everything must be crammed into a smaller gadget. The major advantage of a hand-held spirometer is that it is more portable. Depending on the type of handheld spirometer, they may be more expensive than PC-based devices because everything is built-in.

A PC-based spirometer has the advantage of allowing you to run a PC-based EKG machine at the same time. Furthermore, because the PC-based spirometer is printed with a regular printer, there is no need for a thermal printer.

The most costly type of spirometer is a tabletop spirometer that contains all of its functions within the device and does not require the use of any additional equipment. If you're searching for an all-in-one machine that can do many tasks and if portability isn't a concern, this may be the ideal alternative.

A tabletop spirometer will most likely have more features than other spirometers. Features such as a built-in printer, Wi-Fi capabilities, additional storage capacity, a preview screen, touch screen LCDs, pediatric incentives, and EMR integration choices are all possible.

Ease of Use

You should buy a spirometer that is easy for doctors and clinicians to operate as the most common reason for the underutilization of a spirometer in a hospital is difficulty in usage.

There is a link between a spirometer's cost and its ease of use. Cheaper spirometers are often difficult to handle by doctors because they have limited keys and lesser screens, which can greatly hinder the speed of data input, review, and report generation.

Make sure the device displays the best three curves large enough on the screen and printouts. This is vital for establishing test quality ensuring efficient clinical decision making

Printing and Reporting Capabilities

It is highly recommended that you are able to print at least the three best efforts of both data and the FV and VT curves. Not all spirometers are capable of performing this.

A spirometer should tell you at the very least the following: FEV1, FVC (or FEV6), FEV1/ FVC, FET, and the number of efforts performed. It will be helpful to have a device that can calculate the "variance" in FEV1 and FVC.

Volume

The spirometer you want to purchase must be capable of measuring volumes of at least 8 liters (BTPS) with flows between zero and 14 L/s. It must also be able to accumulate volume for at least 15-10 seconds.

Certification, Conformity With Standards, and Brands

You should not buy spirometers that do not have the requisite certifications such as the CE, ISO, FDA, and GMP certificates. This is because there would be no way to ensure that the equipment has been produced according to clear international standards and safety requirements.

You can also check out the manufacturer's brochure to verify that the spirometer is able to work by the standards that have been determined by a competent authority such as the American Thoracic Society.

Other than certifications, you should also check for the quality of service from the brand.

Some of the biggest manufacturers of spirometers include Vitalograph, Uscom, COSMED, CardioDirect, Medisoft, etc.

Ease of Sterilization

It is advised to invest in spirometers with disposable sensors, as they minimize sterilization problems and the high cost of filters.

Disposable sensors essentially allow you to throw out the measuring system after it has been used by a patient. You should also stay away from spirometers with tubing which will require sterilization.

Compatibility

Ensure that the spirometer is compatible with resources already in your hospital and is also able to interface with clinical software packages that doctors would require while using it.

Power Source

This is an often overlooked but important factor to consider. You would do well to take the electrification situation in your hospital into consideration when buying a spirometer. Spirometers can be powered by batteries, USB, or by mains.

You might want to consider going for spirometers that combine a number of power options to ensure that you have backup options even when one fails.

Price and Cost of Disposables

The prices of spirometers are often determined by whether they are handheld, PC-based, or tabletop spirometers.

You should hesitate before buying the cheapest spirometers you can find. The average price for a good spirometer is about $1000 – $2000. You'll often find that the lower the cost, the lower the performance and ease of use.

While considering the actual cost of the spirometer, you should not neglect the cost of disposables such as sensors and filters. You would want to go for a spirometer that allows you to use inexpensive and easily obtained disposables.

Size and Portability

Portable spirometers that aren't linked to a computer, power cable, or tube are considerably more convenient. They allow you to transport the spirometer to the patient rather than requiring them to walk down the corridor to a stationary or PC-based instrument.

Durability

Your spirometer should be durable, reliable, and should be able to last for a long time of up to 10 years.

Spirometers that are well-made and backed by an excellent company usually last longer in clinical settings, resulting in lower costs of ownership over time. Spending a little more on a quality spirometer is a smart investment.

Warranty

When purchasing spirometers, make sure you get ones that offer the finest warranties for your money. By investing in long-lasting and high-quality spirometers, you can maximize your money's worth.

Payment Options

Before you buy a spirometer, be sure to check out the payment options offered by the vendor. You should double-check that the supplier accepts payments through your preferred payment channels such as MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and so on.

Medwish.com offers both project financing and order financing options. Check out how we can help you purchase the best spirometer and other devices for your hospital today.

Spirometer Price guide

There are a variety of spirometer brands with a varied range of prices. Some of them are listed below:

• The X2A Dofin Plus Spirometer. This is a device that costs about 1,300 USD per unit
• The CardioTech GT-105 Spirometer. This is a device that costs close to 2,000 USD per unit.
• The X1A Blue Whale Spirometer. This is a piece of equipment that costs about 2,800 USD per unit.
• The Cosmed Pony FX Desktop Spirometer. This is a device that costs about 2,400 USD per unit.
• The BJMB-001 Spirometer. This is a spirometer that costs about 1,700 USD.

Where to Buy Spirometer in Bulk With Wholesale Pricing

Excellent spirometers can be purchased from Medwish.com. We are a worldwide B2B platform that specializes in the sale of high-quality medical equipment to hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare organizations.

You may contact us from anywhere in the globe to purchase spirometers or other medical equipment thanks to our global network, which includes several countries.

Medwish.com also offers product financing and order financing options to help secure financial collaborations and help you get the best spirometers with ease.

Wholesale Price Advantage on Medwish.com

Buying bulk spirometers from Medwish.com saves you money over buying from local vendors because you'll pay less than usual. It also allows you to establish a direct connection with the firm.

Finally, buying spirometers in bulk from Medwish.com will allow you to have more equipment for your hospital or health facility while also saving money without sacrificing quality and safety.

Final Words

Spirometers are useful tools to help doctors determine the lung capacity of patients and are useful in the detection and treatment of conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Hence, hospitals should endeavor to be equipped with this essential tool and should consider the already mentioned factors before purchasing one.