Project Description:
The current method for delivering inhaled medication to intubated patients involves using a nebulizer or inhaler at the top of the endotracheal tube (ETT). Current practice is to introduce aerosolized medications at the proximal end of the ETT. However, due to ETT dimensions and turbulent flow within the ETT, delivery of medications to the lungs is inefficient and unpredictable. Accurate distribution of the medicine is crucial for patients in critical condition. This clinical need has led to the formulation of a method to generate the therapeutic aerosol at the distal tip of the ETT, reducing medicine loss within the tube. Our project is creating a double-lumen catheter that accommodates an aerosol head that will be threaded through to deliver the medication closer to the bronchi. The aerosol head has a specified mechanism that creates particles between 5-10 microns in size. Our current prototype can successfully deliver 89.3% of administered medication at the distal end with some particles being between 5-10 µm. Our device will positively impact health care staff, patients, and their families by increasing medication delivery and improving care outcomes. Hospital administrators will also benefit due to the device’s low cost per unit and low medication waste as well as easy set up and predictable delivery of the medication to the lungs.
