AEROSOL DELIVERY DURING MECHANICAL VENTILATION TO THE RAT

Abstract

□ The authors have adjusted a jet nebulizer to a mechanical ventilator (Servo Ventilator, Siemens) to deliver an aerosol to rats. They aimed to clarify whether a modified jet nebulizer generating particles with a mass median aerodynamic diameter of 2 µm would be effective and safe in intubated ventilated rats. Fluorescent microspheres (diameter: 1.0 µm) were aerosolized to verify qualitatively and quantitatively intrapulmonary deposition. Particle deposition fraction was 3.8% (1.3%) of the delivered dose (median [interquartile range]). There was no evidence for any adverse event as assessed from heart rate, mean arterial pressure, PaO₂ and PaCO₂ before, during, and after nebulization. No pulmonary tissue trauma was detected histologically.

Keywords:

• aerosol
• animal experimentation
• nebulizers