BACKGROUND Aerosol and humidification therapy are used in long-term airway management of critically ill patients with a tracheostomy. The purpose of this study was to determine delivery efficiency of jet and mesh nebulizers combined with different humidification systems in a model of a spontaneously breathing tracheotomized adult with or without exhaled heated humidity. METHODS An in vitro mo...

BACKGROUND A practitioner questioned whether moisture that collected in the ventilator circuit and spacer affected the delivery of aerosol from a pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI). An in vitro model was used to quantify the impact of accumulated humidity in a pMDI spacer and ventilator over time. METHODS A ventilator with an adult heated-wire ventilator circuit and humidifier was set to...

The effect of continuous humidifier use on the bioaerosol concentration in an indoor environment was investigated. An ultrasonic humidifier was operated for 10 hr per day for 15 days in an apartment room. During this time period, viable bioaerosol samples were taken using a single-stage Andersen sampler containing culture media plates for bacteria and fungi. The culture plates were then incubat...

BACKGROUND We were concerned about the risk of inadequate humidification during high-frequency percussive ventilation (HFPV). METHODS We studied 5 humidifiers during HFPV with a lung model, at bias gas flows of 10 L/min, 30 L/min, and 50 L/min, and compared the results to those from a comparator ventilator/humidifier setup and to the minimum temperature (30 degrees C) and humidity (30 mg/L) [...

The size and morphology of particulate polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) sponge prepared by a blender technique for embolotherapy were analyzed by light and scanning electron microscopy. Techniques for preparation and sizing of PVA sponge particles are described. Two types of particulate material, differing in both size and morphology, were found. Large particles (greater than 50 micron) had irregular sh...