Abstract
Two jet nebulizers employed in the pediatric practice were evaluated under usually prescribed operating conditions to determine the particle size distribution of their aerosols. The nebulizers, Hudson Up Draft II (UPD) and Bennett Twin (BT), were operated with different flow rates and volumes of fill, using normal saline (NS) and gentamicin (G) diluted in normal saline. Thus, six nebulization conditions were built. Particle size was measured by laser diffraction. There were wide differences in mass median diameter (MMD), geometric standard deviation (GSD), and percentage of aerosol mass contained in particles less than 5.3 microns (μ), 4 μ, 3 μ and 1.9 μ between the systems. The MMD for UPD nebulizer driven by a flow rate of 5.5L/min and loaded with NS (system A) or G (system E) were not different, 4.4 μ and 4.4 μ, respectively. The MMD for BT nebulizer driven by a flow rate of 5.5L/min and loaded NS (system C) or G (system F) was 7.7 and 8.7 μ, respectively. The percentage of aerosol mass contained in particles under 1.9 μ for the system A and E was 29.5% and 28.4%, respectively. The same parameter for systems C and F was 8.9% and 4.4%, respectively (p<0.05). The type of jet nebulizer and its operating conditions of flow rate, volume fill and nebulizing solution, produce large variations in particle size distribution of the aerosols. These may result in wide variation in sites of deposition, and consequently in the quantity of medication deposited and pharmacological effects. The results of this study emphasize the need to assess the particle size distribution in the clinical and research use of any nebulization system.
Published Version
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