The VPAP III ST-A system is intended to provide non-invasive ventilation for patients with respiratory insufficiency or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in the hospital or home.
Device Story
VPAP III ST-A is a flow-cycled, pressure-limited non-invasive ventilator for hospital or home use. It delivers bi-level positive airway pressure (IPAP/EPAP) to provide pressure support. Input data from flow and pressure sensors are processed by a microprocessor to regulate a blower motor. The device operates in CPAP, Spontaneous, Spontaneous/Timed, and Timed modes. It features software-based breath detection with adjustable sensitivity, mask-specific pressure-flow compensation, and leak management. Output includes therapeutic pressure delivery and clinical data displayed on an integrated LCD. Alarms monitor for power failure, pressure deviations, mask-off conditions, and low minute ventilation. The device benefits patients by providing respiratory support and monitoring compliance statistics.
Clinical Evidence
Bench testing only. The device was tested in accordance with the FDA Draft Reviewer Guidance for Ventilators (July 1995) and complies with IEC 60601-1-2, IEC 60068-2-27/-6/-34, ISO 10993-1, and ASTM F 1100-90 standards.
Technological Characteristics
Flow-cycled, pressure-limited ventilator. Blower assembly generates pressure up to 30 cmH2O. Sensors: flow and pressure. Microprocessor-controlled. Connectivity: integrated LCD interface. Power: switching mode power supply, 12V battery compatible. Biocompatible materials per ISO 10993-1. Standards: IEC 60601-1-2, IEC 60068, ASTM F 1100-90.
Indications for Use
Indicated for patients with respiratory insufficiency or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) requiring non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV).
Regulatory Classification
Identification
A continuous ventilator (respirator) is a device intended to mechanically control or assist patient breathing by delivering a predetermined percentage of oxygen in the breathing gas. Adult, pediatric, and neonatal ventilators are included in this generic type of device.
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Food and Drug Administration 9200 Corporate Boulevard Rockville MD 20850
JUN 2 4 2004
Mr. David D' Cruz Vice President Regulatory & Clinical Affairs US Resmed Corporation 14040 Danielson Street Poway, CA 92064-6857
Re: K033276 Trade/Device Name: Resmed VPAP III-STA Regulation Number: 868.5895 Regulation Name: Continuous Ventilator Regulatory Class: II Product Code: MNS Dated: May 17, 2004 Received: May 19, 2004
## Dear Mr. D'Cruz:
This letter corrects our substantially equivalent letter of June 7, 2004, regarding the VPAP III-STA. Our letter identified the regulation number as 868.5905 and the product code as BZD. This is in error; the regulation number is 868.5895 and the correct product code is MNS as indicated above.
We have reviewed your Section 510(k) premarket notification of intent to market the device referenced above and have determined the device is substantially equivalent (for the indications for use stated in the enclosure) to legally marketed predicate devices marketed in interstate commerce prior to May 28, 1976, the enactment date of the Medical Device Amendments, or to devices that have been reclassified in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Act) that do not require approval of a premarket approval application (PMA). You may, therefore, market the device, subject to the general controls provisions of the Act. The general controls provisions of the Act include requirements for annual registration, listing of devices, good manufacturing practice, labeling, and prohibitions against misbranding and adulteration.
If your device is classified (see above) into either class II (Special Controls) or class III (PMA), it may be subject to such additional controls. Existing major regulations affecting your device can be found in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, Parts 800 to 898. In addition, FDA may publish further announcements concerning your device in the Federal Register.
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Page 2 -Mr. David D'Cruz
Please be advised that FDA's issuance of a substantial equivalence determination does not mean that FDA has made a determination that your device complies with other requirements of the Act or any Federal statutes and regulations administered by other Federal agencies. You must comply with all the Act's requirements, including, but not limited to: registration and listing (21 CFR Part 807); labeling (21 CFR Part 801); good manufacturing regiotice requirements as set forth in the quality systems (QS) regulation (21 CFR Part 820); and if applicable, the electronic product radiation control provisions (Sections 531-542 of the Act); 21 CFR 1000-1050.
This letter will allow you to begin marketing your device as described in your Section 510(k) premarket notification. The FDA finding of substantial equivalence of your device to a legally marketed predicate device results in a classification for your device and thus, permits your device to proceed to the market.
If you desire specific advice for your device on our labeling regulation (21 CFR Part 801), please contact the Office of Compliance at (301) 594-5613. Also, please note the regulation entitled, "Misbranding by reference to premarket notification" (21CFR Part 807.97). You may obtain other general information on your responsibilities under the Act from the Division of Small Manufacturers, International and Consumer Assistance at its toll-free number (800) 638-2041 or (301) 443-6597 or at its Internet address http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/dsma/dsmamain.html.
Sincerely yours,
Clu
Chiu Lin, Ph.D. Director Division of Anesthesiology, General Hospital, Infection Control and Dental Devices Office of Device Evaluation Center for Devices and Radiological Health
Enclosure
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Sponsor: ResMed Lid
VPAP III ST-A Special 510(k) Premarket Notification
#### INDICATIONS FOR USE 4
510(k) Number (if known):
KO33276
Device Name:
VPAP III -STA
Indications for Use:
The VPAP III ST-A system is Intended to provide non-invasive ventilation for patients with respiratory insufficiency or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in the hospital or home.
(PLEASE DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE - CONTINUE ON ANOTHER PAGE IF NEEDED)
| Concurrence of CDRH: Office of Device Evaluation (ODE) | |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------|
| (Division Sign-Off)<br>Division of Anesthesiology, General Hospital:<br>Infection Control, Dental Devices | |
| 510(k) Number | K033276 |
| | OR |
| Prescription Use<br>(Per 21 CFR 801.109) | Over-The-Counter Use |
(Optional Format 1-2-96)
Page 12
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JUN - 7 2004
# K033276
# 510(k) SUMMARY—VPAP III ST-A
| Submitter Name: | ResMed Corp. |
|---------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Submitter Address: | 14040 Danielson Street, Poway CA 92064-6857<br>USA |
| Contact Person: | David D'Cruz, VP Regulatory & Clinical Affairs US |
| Phone Number: | (858) 746 2238 |
| Fax Number: | (858) 746 2915 |
| Date Prepared: | June 3, 2004 |
| Device Trade Name: | VPAP III ST-A |
| Device Common Name/<br>Classification Name: | Variable Positive Air Pressure (VPAP) System /<br>Continuous Ventilator, Non-life-support |
| Predicate Devices: | VPAP II ST-A (K974417) |
| Device Description: | The VPAP III ST-A provides a mode of non-invasive positive<br>pressure ventilation (NPPV) called Pressure Support with<br>PEEP, which delivers two treatment pressures (bi-level<br>ventilation).<br>A higher pressure is applied when the patient inhales - IPAP<br>or inspiratory positive airway pressure, and a lower pressure is<br>applied when the patient exhales - EPAP or expiratory positive<br>airway pressure, sometimes referred to as PEEP or positive<br>end-expiratory pressure.<br>The difference between the two treatment pressures<br>represents the amount of pressure support provided to the<br>patient. |
| Intended Use: | The VPAP III ST-A system is intended to provide non-invasive<br>ventilation for patients with respiratory insufficiency or<br>obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in the hospital or home. |
# Device Technological Characteristics and Comparison to Predicate Device(s):
The VPAP III ST-A is a flow-cycled, pressure-limited ventilator. A blower assembly generates airway pressure. A flow sensor and a pressure sensor in the patient airway feed data on measured flow and pressure into a microprocessor controller, which in turn regulates the blower assembly. A user interface displays clinical data and enables the user to set and adjust certain clinical parameters.
The VPAP III ST-A has a CPAP mode in which a fixed pressure is delivered, and three bi-level operating modes which determine how the changes between IPAP and EPAP pressures are made: Spontaneous, Spontaneous/Timed and Timed.
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The VPAP III ST-A is fitted with alarms to alert the user to changes that will affect the treatment. Some of the alarms are pre-set (fixed), others are user adjustable.
VPAP III ST-A is substantially equivalent to the VPAP II ST-A. The two ventilators have the same intended use, operating principle, technological characteristics and manufacturing process. The materials used in the air path are either predicate materials (previously cleared for the same intended use) or have been tested and found compliant with the biocompatibility requirements.
The main differences between the modified device VPAP III ST-A and the VPAP II ST-A are:
- A new enclosure design for VPAP III ST-A comparable in size and shape with that of . the VPAP II ST-A:
- Additional LCD display in the User Interface of the VPAP III ST-A. .
- VPAP JI ST-A requires an external Universal Control Unit (UCU) in order to display therapy configuration and treatment data. VPAP III ST-A has the ability to display such data on the ventilator itself via an LCD.
- A new power supply unit (PSU), which can be used across the ResMed product range; . the new PSU is a switching mode power supply, i.e., it has the same principle of operation as the VPAP II ST-A power supply.
The VPAP III ST-A can also be run from a 12V battery via a DC-DC (12V/ 24V) converter in the event of mains power not being reliable. The VPAP III ST-A is however not intended for transport use as defined in section 5.5 of the FDA Draft Reviewer Guidance for Ventilators (July 1995).
- A new blower motor, which can supply operating pressure up to 30 cmH2O, having the . same principle of operation as the VPAP II ST-A blower motor;
- New flow sensor with superior accuracy at low flow values, and new microprocessor . controller with superior processing power and more competitive price;
VPAP II ST-A has one flow sensor and two pressure sensors, the second pressure sensor having its own alarm microprocessor controller and acting as backup in the event that the first pressure sensor fails. VPAP III ST-A has a flow sensor and one pressure sensor, the microprocessor controller checks every 50ms that the pressure sensor works properly thus eliminating the need for a backup pressure sensor with its own microprocessor controller.
VPAP III ST-A compensates for pressure drop in the air tubing, whereas VPAP II ST-A does not.
- When a humidifier is used, the pressure sensing point for VPAP II ST-A and VPAP III ST-. A is before the humidifier, except that when an integrated humidifier (H2i) is used with VPAP III ST-A the pressure sensing point was moved after the humidifier to compensate for the pressure drop in the humidifier and ensuring a more accurate control of the mask pressure.
- VPAP II ST-A has an analog breath detection circuit and fixed thresholds for triggering . and cycling. The VPAP III ST-A breath detection is software-based, and the device has adjustable sensitivity levels - Low, Medium and High - for triggering and cycling thresholds.
- VPAP II ST-A has a single generic vent pressure-flow compensation characteristic . estimated in hardware. VPAP III ST-A has a range of vent pressure-flow compensation characteristics for different mask types, calculated more accurately by software based on the known mask pressure.
- Leak management for VPAP II ST-A is implemented in hardware. Leak in VPAP III ST-A . is calculated more accurately by software taking into consideration the fact that leak rate depends on pressure.
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- The rise time, i.e., the time taken to for the pressure to increase from EPAP to IPAP can . be adjusted in VPAP III ST-A for increased patient comfort. VPAP II ST-A does not have this feature.
- Additional alarms for VPAP III ST-A; .
VPAP II ST-A has the following alarms: power fail, high pressure and low pressure. System faults, which might cause high or low pressures, and gross leak are reported either by the high-pressure alarm or by the low-pressure alarm, as applicable. VPAP III ST-A has the following alarms: power fail, high pressure and low pressure, mask-off condition, (gross) over pressure, over use (operation outside specification), system fault, non-vented mask, and low minute ventilation.
- VPAP III ST-A incorporates additional compliance statistics compared to VPAP II ST-A. .
- VPAP III ST-A has more flexibility in setting the ramp (or delay) time: from 5 to 45 . minutes in 5 minutes increments, compared to 5, 10 or 20 minutes for VPAP II ST-A.
## Performance Data:
The VPAP III ST-A was tested in accordance with the recommendations of the FDA Draft Reviewer Guidance for Ventilators (July 1995).
The VPAP III ST-A ventilator complies with the following standards: IEC 60601-1-2; IEC 60068-2-27/ -6/ -34; IEC 10993-1; ASTM F 1100-90.
## Conclusion:
The VPAP III ST-A is substantially equivalent to the VPAP II ST-A.
Two short videos show you everything — or skip straight to the written tutorial if you'd rather read. You can reopen this any time from the Tutorial button in the top bar.
Part 1 — Search, results, and everyday workflows 16 min
Part 2 — Embeddings: the galaxy map 3 min
1. Search: exact and fuzzy
Type a phrase like "coronary artery calcification" into the search box. You get two kinds of results. Exact results match the literal phrase — prefix searches work ("coronary artery calcificati") but suffix searches do not. Fuzzy results match on the meaning and intent of your phrase rather than the exact words, and are sorted by relevance score. Hover over the Exact or Fuzzy badge on any row to see exactly why it matched.
Use the checkboxes above the results to narrow: SaMD keeps only software-only devices, AI / ML keeps only devices with AI.
Exact vs. fuzzy search: what's the difference?
Exact matches on the literal phrase (prefix search works, suffix does not). Fuzzy matches on the meaning and intent of the phrase rather than the exact words. Hover over the badge on any row to see why it matched.
You search "coronary artery calcification" and want only software devices with AI. What two filters do you apply?
Narrow by SaMD (software-only devices), then narrow by AI/ML (devices with AI).
2. The results table
Scroll right in the results table. The intended use is extracted for you — no need to open the PDF. The device story gives a high-level snapshot of what the device does and how it's used. The AI Performance sub-table shows each output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, and development/test dataset descriptions — the same format Innolitics uses for regulatory strategy outputs, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. It is AI-generated but has been very reliable in practice.
Where do you find a device's intended use without opening the PDF?
Scroll right in the search results table. The intended use column is extracted for you; no need to dig into the 510(k) summary PDF.
What does the AI Performance sub-table show, and why is it useful?
Output name, acceptance criteria, observed values, development dataset description, and test dataset description. It's the same format we use for regulatory strategy output and Fast 510(k) input, and the fastest high-level fingerprint of an AI device. AI-generated but reliable in practice.
3. Judging fuzzy relevance
Fuzzy results trail off in relevance as you scroll. Use three signals to decide how far down to go: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether your target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, you're past the relevant zone. A top hit with a low score (~0.4) and a stretched explanation is a hint the closest predicates are far away — the project may be headed for De Novo. Note the fuzzy search is a pattern match: it doesn't handle negation ("not") well, and hardware devices can appear — filter by SaMD/AI ML to cut them.
How do you judge how far down fuzzy search results to go?
Use the relevancy signals: the fuzzy badge explanations, the intended use column, and whether the target output (e.g., Cobb angle) still appears in the AI Performance sub-table. Once it stops appearing, results are trailing off in relevancy.
4. Device detail page: chat and citations
Click a device name to open its detail page: device facts on the left, a chat window on the right. Ask something like "Describe the training data". The answer carries little citation bubbles — click one to jump to the highlighted passage in the source PDF, so you can verify every AI answer against the document. There's also a Download PDF button for sharing.
How do you verify an AI chat answer on the device detail page?
Click the citation bubbles to jump to the relevant highlight in the source document.
Reading rule for every project: how many summaries do you read in full?
At least the three most relevant 510(k) or De Novo summaries, in full. After that, use targeted chat questions to confirm your memory quickly. The tool supports this professional habit — it doesn't replace it.
5. Side-by-side comparison
Select multiple rows in the results table (aim for under ~10), then open the PDF Viewer tab. Ask one question — it goes to all selected devices in parallel, each with citations. This is the fastest way to compare and contrast devices: training data, PCCP scope, how they handled adding new scanners, and so on.
What does the side-by-side PDF viewer mode do?
Select multiple devices, open the PDF viewer tab, and ask one question (e.g., "Describe the training data"). It queries all selected devices simultaneously with citations, so you can compare and contrast quickly.
6. Collections
With rows selected, go to the Collections tab and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). Reload that selection any time — before a client call, pull up the collection and ask questions across all of its devices at once.
How do you save a set of selected devices for later use?
Select the rows, go to the Collections tab, and create a labeled collection (e.g., "Cobb Angle Project"). You can reload the selection anytime and carry it into the PDF viewer and other tabs that support selections.
7. Product codes and the regulations tree
Click a product code in the results to jump to it in the regulations tree — identification text, sibling product codes, and devices you can open in a PDF viewer on the right. Click a regulation number to see its identification, special controls, and related product codes. You can also search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree. Always read the special controls if any exist for your device — it broadens your search and sharpens pre-kickoff research.
What can you do from the regulations tree view?
Browse product codes and regulation numbers, read the identification text and special controls, browse sibling product codes, open device PDFs on the right, and search by product code or regulation number at the top of the tree.
8. Chart view
Click Show Chart and segment by regulation number (or product code) to see which regulations dominate your result set. Clicking a regulation takes you into the regulations tree. Great for spotting that most matches are, say, hardware laparoscopic devices — a cue to go back and filter.
How do you see which regulations dominate a search result set?
Click "Show Chart" and segment by Regulation Number. Clicking a regulation takes you to the regulations tree.
9. The predicate graph
Open the Predicates tab for a family-tree view of predicate relationships. Click a node to trace its parents and children; selections from search carry over pre-selected. Commonly predicated devices are worth reading — a lot of people predicated them for a reason. The visual lineage is also handy on client calls, e.g. to show how a predicate family evolved and justify why your predicate still holds.
In the predicate graph, why are commonly predicated devices worth reading?
A lot of people predicated them for a reason. Clicking a node traces parents and children, and selections from search carry over pre-selected.
10. Embeddings: the galaxy map
The Embeddings tab plots every matching document in a 2-D "galaxy map" where semantically similar devices cluster together. Hover or click clusters to explore, and let AI label the clusters for you. Embeddings beat product codes for grouping: two devices can carry different product codes (LLZ vs. QIH) yet do the same thing — the embedding captures the meaning of the intended use and device story. This is also exactly how retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) works under the hood, and it makes a great visual on client calls.
Try it yourself
Head to the search page and work through a few of these AI/ML fuzzy searches to build intuition: perivascular fat on CT · aortic valve calcification opportunistic screening on noncontrast CT · breast cancer prediction on digital pathology slides · autism detection · gestational age prediction · a hearing aid that can also detect a pulse · foundation model based analysis of ECG · large language models · penetration test. Watch how the relevance scores, intended use, and AI Performance tables tell you when results stop being meaningful.