Respironics AF541 Under-the-Nose NIV Mask Cushion
Delivery Mon–Sat
Philips Respironics AF541 Under-the-Nose NIV Mask Cushion, Sizes XS, A, B and C
This is the under-the-nose NIV Mask cushion for the Philips Respironics AF541 non-invasive ventilation mask. It seals beneath the nostrils and around the mouth instead of across the bridge of the nose, which is how the AF541 offloads pressure from the site where NIV skin breakdown most often starts.
Supplied new in extra small, A, B and C. The cushion pushes straight onto the AF541 mask frame and is interchangeable with the over-the-nose cushion on the same mask, so a patient can be rotated between the two seals without changing mask system. The mask, elbow and headgear are ordered separately.
What is included
| Item | Detail | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| AF541 under-the-nose cushion | Cushion in the size selected, single patient use | NEW |
What is not included
| Item | Detail | Status |
|---|---|---|
| AF541 mask frame | The mask body the cushion pushes onto | ADD-ON |
| Elbow | Click-style entrainment or standard elbow, chosen to match the ventilator circuit | ADD-ON |
| Headgear | CapStrap, or four-point headgear with forehead pad | ADD-ON |
| Over-the-nose cushion | The full face seal in small to extra large, for rotation between contact points | SOLD SEPARATELY |
| Ventilator circuit and exhalation port | Single or dual limb circuit, with a disposable exhalation port where the circuit requires one | SOLD SEPARATELY |
Check before the mask is used on a patient
- The circuit safety arrangement is set by the elbow, not by this cushion. Entrainment elbows carry an anti-asphyxia valve and are used with single limb circuits on dedicated non-invasive ventilators. The standard elbow is used on ventilators with an integrated safety valve system and dual limb circuits. Confirm the elbow matches the ventilator and circuit before a patient is connected.
- The cushion sits under the nose and never over it. The bottom edge rests just above the chin with the mouth slightly open.
- Size with the manufacturer's sizing gauge. Under-the-nose sizes are extra small, A, B and C, and do not correspond to the over-the-nose sizes of small to extra large, so a patient changing seal type is re-sized.
- The AF541 is intended for patients above 20 kg and is a single patient use device, reapplied to the same patient over a short period and then discarded.
- Under-the-nose sealing moves contact onto the upper lip, cheeks and chin. Those sites are inspected on the schedule the nasal bridge would have had, because the pressure is redistributed rather than removed.
Why the seal moves off the nasal bridge
Facial pressure injury is the most common complication of non-invasive ventilation, and the nasal bridge is where it happens. The skin there is thin and sits directly over bone, a conventional oro-nasal mask places its firmest seal exactly across it, and every leak invites another turn on the headgear. In a patient who cannot reposition themselves and needs continuous ventilation, damage can appear within a day, at which point the options narrow: the patient still needs ventilating and the mask still needs to seal.
The under-the-nose cushion changes where the load sits. It closes below the nostrils and around the mouth, leaving the bridge uncovered, and Philips makes the two cushion types interchangeable on the same mask frame precisely so they can be alternated. Rotating between seals offloads and redistributes pressure, which is the recognised way to reduce skin breakdown over a long period of ventilation, and it means a unit does not have to stock two mask systems to do it. The clearer field of view is a secondary benefit that matters more than it sounds for a conscious, frightened patient.
Two limits are worth stating. This is a cushion, not a mask: it fits the AF541 frame and nothing else, so a department without AF541 masks in stock cannot use it. And it is not an answer to skin damage on its own. Pressure moves to the upper lip, cheeks and chin, so inspection continues at the new contact points, and where a bridge lesion already exists the cushion is one part of a plan alongside dressings, rotation and time off the mask.
Key features
Technical specifications
| Manufacturer | Philips Respironics |
| Product | AF541 under-the-nose cushion |
| Type | Under the nose seal for the AF541 oro-nasal NIV mask |
| Condition | New |
| Sizes | Extra small, A, B, C |
| Patient range | Patients above 20 kg |
| Use designation | Single patient use |
| Fitting | Pushed onto the AF541 mask frame by the sides of the cushion |
| Compatibility | Philips AF541 NIV masks only |
| Headgear options on the mask | CapStrap, or four-point headgear with forehead pad |
| Circuit safety | Determined by the elbow selected, not by the cushion |
| Supplied as | Single cushion, or in the pack quantity stated on the variant |
Matching the elbow to the circuit
| Elbow | Used with |
|---|---|
| Entrainment elbow, Leak 1 | Anti-asphyxia valve, for dedicated non-invasive ventilators on single limb circuits |
| Entrainment elbow, Leak 2 | Anti-asphyxia valve with intentional leak ports, for dedicated non-invasive ventilators on single limb circuits |
| Standard elbow | Ventilators with an integrated safety valve system, on dual limb circuits |
| Bronchoscopy elbow | Airway access during bronchoscopy, on masks using the click-style 22 mm elbow design |
All AF541 click-style elbows include a nebulising port. Elbows are ordered separately and are not supplied with this cushion.
Specification limited to what is confirmed
- The manufacturer reference for each size is confirmed against the packaging before dispatch. Distributor catalogue numbers are not the same as the Philips reference and are not published in their place.
- Manufacturer literature describes the CleanClip system as storage for the mask or the cushion not currently in use, with under-the-nose cushions catalogued as supplied with a Clean Clip sidecar. The stock held here carries moulded retention features and no separate clip, so no CleanClip claim is made in this listing.
- Sizing figures are not published. Fitting is done with the manufacturer's AF541 sizing gauge.
- Cleaning, reprocessing and the maximum period of use are set out in the AF541 instructions for use and are confirmed on request.
Fitting sequence
Handling and care
| Task | When |
|---|---|
| Inspect the cushion for splits, hardening or distortion before fitting | Every use |
| Inspect the skin at the upper lip, cheeks and chin | To local pressure ulcer prevention policy |
| Rotate between under-the-nose and over-the-nose seals to redistribute pressure | To the clinical plan for the patient |
| Clean or reprocess strictly to the AF541 instructions for use | To local decontamination policy |
| Discard the cushion | At the end of that patient's use, or sooner if damaged. Single patient use |
Cleaning, reprocessing and use limits follow the manufacturer's instructions for use and the receiving organisation's decontamination policy.
