The Panther 5N dedicated, high-acuity non-invasive ventilator continues to gain momentum in the industry as the ventilator of choice among respiratory therapists. We recently sat down with MED Alliance Group Clinical Specialist Dave Lockwood, RRT, who weighed in and answered some of our customers’ most common questions.

Question: I have not heard of Panther vents or the Origin company. Tell me about the company.

Answer: Origin is a U.S.-based company that was started by former employees from Medtronic after the company decided to drop the Puritan Bennet division of ventilators.

Question: Can you tell me about the ventilator?

Answer: The Panther 5N was designed first and foremost to be a comprehensive non-invasive ventilator to compete with the Respironics V60. We took what people liked about the V60 and added to it. The P5N also has invasive vent modes and can be used with a patient who is not breathing on their own. It also has High-Flow Oxygen Therapy (HFOT) up to 80 L/min.

Question: What NIV modes does it have?

Answer: It has Pressure Control with a set rate (PCV), S/T, AVAPS, Spontaneous Pressure Control (SPONT), CPAP, and nIPPV in the neonatal mode option.

Question: What invasive modes does it have?

Answer: It has A/C- PC (Pressure Control), S/T Pressure Control (S/T) A/C PRVC, and A/C- VC (Volume Control).

Question: Can it be used on infants?

Answer: Yes, NEO is an option and can be used in NIV, INV, and HFOT.

Question: If I don’t get the NEO option, what is the lowest it will go in Pediatric?”

Answer: 95 Kg or 20mls in a volume targeted mode such as AVAPS or PRVC.

Question: You said it has the features that people like about the V60. What other features does it have, like the V60?

Answer: It has the pressure stepping feature in PC (called RAMP) and S/T; it has AVAPS, and it has Active Standby.

Question: Does it need both O2 and air connections?

Answer: No, it only needs an oxygen connection; air is supplied by a two-stage turbine.

Question: What do you mean by a two-stage turbine?

Answer: Unlike other turbine vents with only a single stage, our turbine has two stages of pressure boost, allowing the Panther 5N to have the highest peak flow of any NIV vent currently on the U.S. market. As a result, the P5N is very effective at compensating for large leaks and can use a large variety of masks.

Question: Why don’t you use a single limb circuit?

Answer: Two main reasons.

First, we use a dual-limb circuit, so in the event that the patient gets intubated, you can switch over to invasive mode and ventilate the patient even if they are not breathing. The reason the V60, and other brands’ manuals, say to use it only on an intubated patient who is actively breathing is that some exhaled breath is blown back into the single limb. This CO2 is then rebreathed, which can elevate the patient’s PaCO2; an apneic patient cannot respond to rising PaCO2 by altering their breathing. With the P5N’s dual limb, that does not happen.

Second, with a single-limb circuit, the flow during exhalation averages 30 L/M or greater to try and keep CO2 from accumulating in the circuit. If a patient is on high O2 settings and you are transporting the patient on O2 tanks, most or all of the flow is coming from the tanks. That’s why a V60 on 100% O2 burns through transport tanks.

Dave Lockwood, RRT
MED Alliance Group Clinical Specialist

Key Features:

• Active Standby
• NIV Modes: PCV and S/T (with Ramp), AVAPS, SPONT, CPAP
• Invasive Modes: A/C-PC, S/T, A/C-PRVC
• Use with a variety of circuits and masks, including vented masks
• Up to 340 LPM Max Flow
• 200 LPM Leak Compensation
• HFOT with range up to 80 LPM
• Integrated oximetry, capnography, and nebulizer (pneumatic and aerogen)
• Low cost of ownership with minimal maintenance
• 15” intuitive touchscreen with large, easy-to-read data

The Panther 5N stands apart with a rare combination of versatility and performance. It is purpose‑built first as a powerful NIV platform, yet capable of invasive ventilation, neonatal support, and high‑flow oxygen therapy up to 80 LPM. Features like its dual‑limb circuit, two‑stage turbine for exceptional leak compensation, and modes clinicians already trust make it a flexible solution across patient populations and care settings. If you’d like to learn more or see how the Panther 5N could fit into your clinical practice, we invite you to reach out for additional information or to schedule an evaluation. Our Clinical Specialists Dave Lockwood, RRT, and Robert Wackenthaler, RRT, RRT-NPS, are always available to answer questions and get deeper into the weeds on the ventilator’s functionality, ensuring you have the insight and confidence you need.

For a demo, evaluation or more information about the Origin Medical Panther 5N from Solutions in Critical Care, contact your local MED Alliance Group sales representative, call 888-891-1200 or email us.

MED Alliance Group is a medical device distributor that has been meeting the needs of our clinical customers and manufacturing partners since 1998. We specialize in the sales, marketing, importation, logistics and distribution of innovative, high-quality and cost-effective products found in anesthesia and respiratory, blood and transfusion therapy, EMS and emergency room, interventional radiology and cath lab, iv and vascular, as well as NICU and PICU.

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