Deposition pattern of droplets from medical nebulizers in the human respiratory tract.

Total and regional deposition data for aerosol particles in the human respiratory tract measured in normal mouth-breathing subjects are applied to aerosols from medical nebulizers. From deposition data as a function of particle size and respiratory parameters and from the droplet size distributions of various jet and ultrasonic nebulizers, integral mass depositions as a fraction of the aerosol entering the mouthpiece are determined for the total respiratory tract, the extrathoracic airways, the tracheobronchial tree and the alveolar region. Since the aim of inhalation therapy is the deposition of particles in that part of the respiratory tract which is to be treated, the results of this study may also be useful in finding out optimum conditions in cases of therapeutic applications.