Aerosolization device
View Patent ↗An aerosol transfer device for medical aerosol generators includes a body, fluidically coupled to a nebulizer and to a patient interface. An ambient air intake is formed into a lower body. The body is shaped and configured to optimize mixing of ambient air from the ambient air intake and the aerosol generated by the nebulizer, resulting in the formation of an aerosol plume having optimum characteristics for delivery of the aerosol to the patient's pulmonary system, such as the central or deep lung regions. The shape and dimensions of the body are further designed to minimize aerosol deposition, thus improving delivery efficiency.
1. An aerosol transfer device comprising
a shaped aerosol accumulation chamber having a central vertical axis, an upper end and a lower end, the chamber having a major dimension, the upper end comprising a nebulizer port and a patient interface port, the lower end comprising an air inlet port, wherein the air inlet port is oriented to be non-aligned with said central vertical axis, said air inlet port further comprising a valve,
an outer shell, substantially surrounding the at least said lower end of the aerosol accumulation chamber, the outer shell having one or more air inlet passages about a periphery thereof wherein said one or more air inlet passages is above said air inlet port, said patient interface port fluidically coupled to a patient interface device, and an aerosolized exhaust port intermediate to said patient interface device and to said patient interface port, and wherein
a medicament adapted to be nebulized into said nebulizer port generating an aerosol plume, and the accumulation chamber is configured and dimensioned such that upon an inhalation by a patient, ambient air is drawn into the device via the air inlet passage, thence into the body where it flows counter-currently to said aerosol plume thereby efficiently delivering aerosol to the patient.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the accumulation chamber comprises a tapered shape with a circular cross section.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein the aerosol accumulation chamber comprises a conical shape.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the aerosol accumulation chamber comprises a frustoconical shape.
5. The device of claim 1 wherein the aerosol accumulation chamber comprises a bifrustrum shape.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said air inlet port is oriented about ninety degrees to said central vertical axis.
7. The device of claim 1 , and further including an aerosol generator.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the aerosol generator comprises a vibrating mesh.
9. The device of claim 7 , wherein the aerosol generator comprises a piezoelectric actuated vibrating mesh.
10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the medicament comprises an antibiotic.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the antibiotic comprises amikacin.
12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the aerosol generator comprises an ultrasonic nebuliser.
13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the outer shell is generally cylindrical.
14. The device of claim 13 wherein the outer shell further comprises a gas reservoir, disposed about a lower end thereof.
15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the aerosolized exhaust port comprises a valve.
16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the aerosolized exhaust port comprises at least one orifice.
17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the orifice further comprises a filtration medium, covering said orifice.
18. A method of administering a medicament comprising
providing a re-usable shaped aerosol accumulation chamber having a central vertical axis, an upper end and a lower end, the chamber having a major dimension of at least 10 cm, the upper end comprising a nebulizer port and a patient interface port, the lower end comprising an air inlet port, wherein the air inlet port is oriented to be non-aligned with said central vertical axis, said air inlet port further comprising a valve, an outer shell, substantially surrounding the at least said lower end of the aerosol accumulation chamber, the outer shell having one or more air inlet passages about a periphery thereof wherein said one or more air inlet passages is above said air inlet port, said patient interface port fluidically coupled to a patient interface device, and an aerosolized exhaust port intermediate to said patient interface device and to said patient interface port;
fluidically coupling a vibrating mesh nebulizer to said nebulizer port;
fluidically coupling a disposable patient interface device to said patient interface port;
providing a liquid medicament to be aerosolized; and
aerosolizing said liquid medicament to generate a dose of an aerosolized medicament for inhalation by a patient.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the medicament comprises a vaccine.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein said dose is inhaled within one to four minutes.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein said dose is inhaled within one minute.
22. The method of claim 18 wherein the medicament comprises an antibiotic
23. The method of claim 18 wherein the medicament comprises an antiviral.
24. The method of claim 18 wherein the nebulizer is reusable.
25. The method of claim 18 wherein the nebulizer is single use.
26. A method of administering medicament to a plurality of patients comprising
providing a re-usable shaped aerosol accumulation chamber having a central vertical axis, an upper end and a lower end, the chamber having a major dimension of at least 10 cm, the upper end comprising a nebulizer port and a patient interface port, the lower end comprising an air inlet port, wherein the air inlet port is oriented to non-aligned with said central vertical axis, said air inlet port further comprising a valve, an outer shell, substantially surrounding the at least said lower end of the aerosol accumulation chamber, the outer shell having one or more air inlet passages about a periphery thereof wherein said one or more air inlet passages is above said air inlet port, said patient interface port fluidically coupled to a patient interface device, and an aerosolized exhaust port intermediate to said patient interface device and to said patient interface port;
fluidically coupling a vibrating mesh nebulizer to said nebulizer port;
fluidically coupling a disposable patient interface device to said patient interface port;
providing a dose of liquid medicament to be aerosolized;
aerosolizing said liquid medicament for a time sufficient to generate a dose of an aerosolized medicament for inhalation by a patient;
delivering said aerosolized medicament to a first patient;
disposing of said patient interface device, fluidically coupling an additional disposable patient interface device to said patient interface port, providing an additional dose of liquid medicament; and
aerosolizing and delivering said additional dose of liquid medicament to a subsequent patient.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the medicament comprises a vaccine.
28. The method of claim 27 wherein said dose is inhaled within one to four minutes.
29. The method of claim 27 wherein said dose is inhaled within one minute.
30. The method of claim 26 wherein the medicament comprises an antibiotic.
31. The method of claim 26 wherein the medicament comprises an antiviral.
32. The method of claim 26 wherein the nebulizer is reusable.
33. The method of claim 26 wherein the nebulizer is disposable.