Twenty-five years ago a revolution took place when aluminum replaced steel as the material of choice for the construction of medical oxygen cylinders (image). Aluminum has made it possible to manufacturer cylinders that are small and light enough for users to carry.

You probably carry one of them. You may be using, for example, an M-6 cylinder (image). The M-6 cylinder (also called a B cylinder) earned its name because, in the space the size of a liter soda bottle, it holds 6 cubic feet of gaseous oxygen, compressed under a pressure of 2,000 pounds per square inch (psi). And yet, an M-6 is light enough to carry.  Without its valve post an empty aluminum M-6 weighs 2.2 pounds. 

It is now 2003 and space age technology is causing another revolution in the construction of oxygen cylinders. Composite cylinders (image), as they are called, weigh a fraction of their aluminum counterparts and can withstand higher pressure. These cylinders allow users to upgrade to higher capacity cylinders with little or no increase in cylinder weight.

• a composite M-9 looks like an aluminum M-6 (or B) cylinder
  
  
• a composite M15 looks like an aluminum M-9 (or C) cylinder

If you use an M-15 (or D) cylinder you might step up to an M-22 composite. Your portable will loose about 1.7 pounds and its duration will either remain the same or have a slight increase when filled to 3,000 psi.

The M-22 may be appropriate as a second cylinder to be used in a situation where you are settled and not walking about. While it will fit in a cart used to pull E cylinders, I discourage folks from dragging their oxygen about. It's a safety issue to me.

Like all other oxygen cylinders, composite cylinders meet all the safety requirements of the DOT. With a filling capacity of 3,000 psi, the strength of these cylinders exceeds that of traditional steel and aluminum cylinders, whose capacity is limited to 2,000 psi.

Composite cylinders are being used

• with great success by firefighters, who need the lightweight cylinder while doing strenuous work in smoke-filled environments.
  
  
• in the extreme climate conditions of the 2003 expedition to reach the summit of Mt. Everest (see Luxfer Cylinders Reach Top of the World ).

Composite cylinders are used for medical purposes in both Europe and Japan. In Europe, most users are moving directly from the old steel cylinders to composite ones. Virtually all oxygen users in Japan use composite cylinders.

You are not seeing composite cylinders being distributed by your local oxygen provider because they are expensive. It is not likely that you will see many of these cylinders until oxygen providers discover for themselves how to offset the cost.

By distributing free cylinders, Luxfer hopes that oxygen provider will find that

• Lighter weight cylinders improve handling during refilling, distribution, and storage.
  
  
• Cylinder inventory and the number of delivery calls are reduced, which means fewer refills and fewer delivery personnel and equipment.
  

Providers will fully understand when they see the benefits for themselves. Once a provider has several of these cylinders in hand, sees the benefits they have on patients, and understands ways to offset the high price, composite cylinders will be adopted.

When I saw in this marketing strategy an opportunity for users who really need lighter cylinders that have longer durations, I asked Luxfer if I could help with distribution. Now, rather than Luxfer simply mailing out a few samples, there will be active participation between user and provider with this technology.

Although you probably guessed this already, that just like all things I do with oxygen, I have no financial interest and am not being paid for what I do here.

That's where you come in. You have the opportunity of using a couple of these cylinders and working with your provider to help them better understand their best use. The only obligation for both you and your provider is to write a short note about your experiences with the cylinders.

To participate, you need to fall into one of the following three categories.

• You currently use an M-6 cylinder with a conserver at setting 4 or above.
  
  
• You cannot use a conserver and are on continuous flow.
  
  
• You use a homefill system.
  

If you are in one of the above categories and your oxygen provider has a small, community-based operation, please email me at Webmaster@PortableOxygen.org. In your email, please describe why you believe you qualify. Please also provide me with your telephone number and the name and telephone number of your provider.

I will call you to discuss the arrangements and get your permission to proceed. I will then call your provider for permission. Finally, I will call Luxfer and arrange for the delivery of composite cylinders to your provider, who will fill them and deliver them to you.

Your responsibility is to use the cylinders as often as you can for at least a month. At the end of that month both your and your oxygen provider should write a half page statement that describes  the experience of each of you during that month. After that, you may continue to use the cylinders for as long as your provider permits.

What follows are comments I have received from folks who want to try these cylinders.

I am a 64 year old woman with IPF and am on 4 lpm during activity and 2 lpm resting. I have had a compressed oxygen portable for about 18 months. I have arthritis, which makes it difficult for me to carry my portable due to weight. I am a widow and my sister is a companion but is disabled and cannot help me. I have to be able to lift it and carry it myself.