LUNG DEPOSITION RATE AND AEROSOL CHARACTERISTICS OF A NANO AEROSOL NOZZLE WITH DEXAMETHASONE SOLUTION

Abstract

A nanoaerosol nozzle was designed and the generated aerosol consisting of a diluted dexamethasone solution was measured with Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS). The obtained aerosol concentration was fed into the IDEAL lung deposition model for to calculate expected deposition in a human lung. Measurements and calculation clearly show that a substantial fraction reaches the alveolar section of the lungs. Given the generated particle inventory in the nano-size range, the tested nozzle appears to have specic advantages for deposition in deeper pulmonary region over existing “out of the shelf” devices. Considering therapeutic applications, the high share of nano-sized particles make it possible to reduce dosage without compromising the therapeutic effects. While most devices currently in use achieve only about 10 % lung deposition efciency, with the bulk of the aerosolized fraction trapped in the extra-thoracic region. With this novel aerosolizer it is possible to reduce oropharyngeal deposition to about 4,78-5.97 %, leaving 25.6-25.5 % being deposited in the deeper lung, while the remaining fraction being expelled with the exhalation bolus.