STUDY OBJECTIVES The function of jet nebulizers has been measured traditionally by gravimetric methods, i.e., by weighing nebulizers before and after nebulization. Newer techniques measure aerosol output directly by analyzing aerosolized drug or tracer, i.e., radioactive 99mTc. Because of evaporation, the equivalence of these methods is uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine if the g...

The objective of this study was to determine whether current regulatory methods for assessing the output of nebulizers are appropriate for the delivery of nebulized steroid suspensions to patients. We studied a conventional jet nebulizer (the Intersurgical Cirrus), an open-vent nebulizer (the Medicaid Sidestream) and a breath-enhanced nebulizer (the Pari LC Plus), using a constant sampling flow...

Incremental gains in understanding the influence of various factors on aerosol delivery in concert with technological advancements over the past 2 decades have fueled an ever burgeoning literature on aerosol therapy during mechanical ventilation. In-line use of pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs) and nebulizers is influenced by a host of factors, some of which are unique to ventilator-sup...

The breath-actuated nebulizer (BAN, AeroEclipse, Trudell Medical International, London, Ontario, Canada) has been available as an aerosol delivery option for several years. This small-volume jet nebulizer is primarily designed to generate aerosol during inspiration in response to the patient’s inspiratory flow triggering the opening valve.1,2 Some studies report that BAN provides smaller partic...

Aerosol delivery equipment used to administer inhaled medications includes the nebulizer, positive expiratory pressure devices added to the nebulizer, and valved holding chambers (spacers). These devices are semi-critical medical devices, and as such, infection prevention and control (IPC) guidelines recommend that they be cleaned, disinfected, rinsed with sterile water, and air-dried. There is...

BACKGROUND: Continuous nebulization has become popular for treating patients with severe reversible airway disease. Continuous nebulization therapy has been shown to be safe, effective, and labor efficient as compared to other traditional medication aerosol treatments 1-11 . Although numerous studies have been done evaluating the clinically efficacy of continuous nebulization, little work has b...

The aim of this review is to perform a critical analysis of experimental studies on aerosolized antibiotics and draw lessons for clinical use in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia. Ultrasonic or vibrating plate nebulizers should be preferred to jet nebulizers. During the nebulization period, specific ventilator settings aimed at decreasing flow turbulence should be used, and discoord...

Communications to the Editor bronchodilator therapy but also intravenous steroids which produce long-term (rather than simply transient) improvement. It has even been suggested that, in New Zealand during the recent epidemic of asthma deaths, the use of domiciliary nebulizers may have predisposed to increased mortality in some patients. Based on these data, I believe that with rare exceptions n...